Christian leaders around the world have joined in the chorus of voices condemning an attack in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday which left 13 people dead and scores of others injured.
A white van sped through a pedestrian area in the city’s historic Las Ramblas district, reportedly swerving from side-to-side as drove over tourists and residents. The death toll has been confirmed at at least 13 dead (initial reports had put the figure at 16) with 100 injured. The driver fled on foot.
The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Meanwhile, police have said that four people were killed during an operation to prevent a further terrorist attack in Cambrils, to the south of Barcelona.
Christian leaders have joined world leaders in condemning the latest attack which Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy labelled a “Jihadist attack”.
A spokesman for Pope Francis said the Pope was praying for the victims of the attack and expressed his “closeness to the entire Spanish population,in particular to the wounded and to the families of the victims”.
In a tweet, retired Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, who oversaw the Catholic Archdiocese of Barcelona from 2004 to 2015, reportedly condemned the attack committed in Barcelona “which fills our hearts with pain and solidarity with the victims”.
António Guterres, UN secretary general said the organisation stood in solidarity with the government and people of Spain in the fight against terrorism and extended his condolences to those affected.
US President Donald Trump condemned the attack via Twitter and said the US “will do whatever is necessary to help” while British Prime Minister Theresa May said the UK stood with Spain against terror and French President Emmanuel Macron said those standing against the terrorists remain “united and determined”.
In Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned the “Islamist terrorist attack” in Barcelona in which three Australians were reportedly injured.
“Our love, our prayers are with the victims and their families,” he said. “We stand in absolute resolute solidarity with the people of Spain in the fight against Islamist terrorism…This is a global battle against terrorism.”
The attack was the deadliest in Spain since March, 2004, when 191 people were killed and more than 1,800 injured in train bombings in Madrid. Three days of mourning has been declared in the region in the wake of the attack.
