[arista]

[Two French prison officers have been
killed in an ambush on a prison van
near Rouen in Normandy.
Reports in French media say an inmate
who was being transported in the van
has escaped together with the attackers.

Several hundred police officers and
gendarmes have reportedly been
deployed to carry out a manhunt.

French President Emmanuel Macron
wrote on X that "everything is being
done to find the perpetrators".

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti
said three officers were seriously injured
in the attack and are currently hospitalised.

French media have named the inmate
as Mohamed A., born in 1994.
French newspaper Le Figaro said
he is nicknamed
"La Mouche" - the Fly - and has
several criminal convictions for
drug offences and attempted homicide.

French outlet BFMTV reported that the inmate
was being transported back to the jail
in the town of Évreux after attending
a court hearing this morning in Rouen.]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-69008577


[14:13
France will never cower to violence,
says prime minister
The French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal,
is speaking to the French parliament,
after a minute's silence was held there.

"Ours is a country that will never cower
to violence, that will remain united," he says.

He adds that "everything will be put in place
to track down perpetrators... we will spare
no effort or men.

"And I'm telling you, they [the perpetrators]
will pay.
We owe it to their families, loved ones,
prison officers and to all French citizens."]