Update: 16 dead and 42 injured in a shooting during a Jewish celebration on a beach in Australia. Two people detained
A witness speaks of “a true hell on Earth” and of a shooting that lasted about 10 minutes. Bondi Beach is located east of Sydney and is Australia’s most famous beach.
Ten people died and at least 29 were injured and taken to hospitals following a shooting this Sunday, December 14, at Australia’s Bondi Beach in Sydney, where the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah was taking place. The news was reported by the online edition of Australian television network ABC, citing a police source, who added that one of the fatalities was one of the shooters.
Among the injured are two police officers who rushed to the scene, as well as a second shooter, who is in critical condition but is in custody.
At a press conference, Mal Lanyon, Commissioner of Police of New South Wales, revealed that 29 people were transported to hospitals in the region, but that more injured people were arriving at medical facilities.
Regarding the attackers, he did not confirm the existence of a third suspect, but assured that “this shameful act will not go unpunished”.
Lanyon revealed that the two injured police officers are in “serious, near-critical” condition and both were undergoing surgery.
The same press conference was attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who described it as “a devastating attack” and “an act of malignant antisemitism” and “terrorism that struck at the heart of Australia”. He added that “an attack against Australian Jews is an attack against all Australians”.
The New South Wales police informed on their social media account X that “there are two people in police custody at Bondi Beach”, while also asking the public to avoid the area, as there was an ongoing bomb threat there, and police were therefore working to defuse what they described as an improvised explosive device.
Commissioner Lanyon confirmed that this explosive device had been found inside a vehicle and that a bomb disposal and rescue unit was working on the situation.
According to a senior police official quoted by ABC, one of the shooters was named Narveed Akram and lived in southwest Sydney, adding that his home was the target of a police operation.
The attack took place near a playground, where the Jewish celebration was being held.
The images also showed a Syrian citizen, Ahmed Al Ahmed, who was a hero and disarmed one of the gunmen.
A witness quoted by ABC revealed that the shooting appeared to last around 10 minutes and was “a real hell on Earth,” adding that they saw several people lying in pools of blood.
Meanwhile, instead of showing any restraint in its comments at this sensitive moment, the Israeli government issued criticism.
Gideon Sa'ar, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has already criticised the Australian government for ignoring warnings about antisemitism. “Unfortunately, the terrorist attack in Sydney was expected,” he said in a video in Hebrew, in which he described the pro-Palestinian protests that took place across Australia as “antisemitic protests.”
BBC
0 Comments