Barcelona attack – What happened during the terror attack in Spain, where is Las Ramblas and how many people were killed?
SPAIN was rocked after a terrorist attack was launched in Barcelona during the height of summer.
The famous Las Ramblas boulevard, a favourite with tourists, was transformed into a scene of devastation and terror when a van ploughed into crowds on August 17, killing 13 people and injuring at least 130 more.
Where is Las Ramblas in Barcelona?
Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's top tourist destinations, with a wide pedestrian promenade flanked by roadways on either side of its Raval and Gothic quarters.
It is popular with tourists and locals because of its market stalls, bars and restaurants and is considered the heart of the city.
A tree-lined pedestrian mall, it stretches approximately 1.2 kilometres with Port Vell - near the cruise port terminal - at the southernmost end and Plaça Catalunya at the northern most end.
People walk down a wide, pedestrianised path in the centre of the street, with traffic flow restricted.
Referred to both as La Rambla and Las Ramblas, the name comes from an Arabic word "ramla" which means sandy riverbed.
The street was actually a dry river bed which used to run alongside the old city walls.
What happened during the terror attack in the district?
A white van mounted the pavement and struck several people in Barcelona's tourist-filled Las Ramblas.
Thirteen people were killed, with witnesses describing how the van had zigzagged down the promenade in terrifying scenes.
Eyewitness footage and photos from the scene show bodies strewn along the pavement in pools of blood on the iconic hotspot.
The driver then fled on foot, with police quick to identify a suspect.
Barcelona police are treating the crash as a terrorist attack.
People were told to avoid the area as emergency services rushed to help those injured and secure the scene.
This comes after several terror attacks which have involved the use of vehicles like cars, lorries and vans.
Spanish police have named the three Moroccan suspects shot dead overnight as Said Aallaa, Mohamed Hychami and Moussa Oukabir – the baby-faced “jihadi” whose older brother Driss accused him of stealing his ID to hire the van that mowed down crowds was killed.
In a news conference on Saturday morning, interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said the terror cell, consisting of 12 young men had been "dismantled".
However the hunt continues for the man suspected of driving the van which wreaked havoc on Las Ramblas - 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub.
Police are also searching for an imam missing from a mosque based in the town of Ripoll.
