what we know so far

Eighty-four people were killed after a truck
ploughed through crowds of people
celebrating Bastille Day in the southern

French city of Nice.
Here is what we know so far about the
attack that the Islamic State group claims
was carried out by one of its "soldiers".
- How did the attack unfold? -
A white 19-tonne rented refrigerator truck
slammed into the crowd on Nice's seafront
around 10:45 pm (2045 GMT) Thursday.
Some 30,000 people had gathered on the
glitzy beachfront avenue, the Promenade
des Anglais, to watch a firework show for
France's national day.
A man, injured during the
July 14 attack in Nice,
walks with crutches as he
leaves the Pasteur
hospital in the French
riviera town of Nice on
July 17, 2016. The Islamic
State group claimed
responsibility for the truck
A man, injured during the July 14 attack in
Nice, walks with crutches as he leaves the
Pasteur hospital in the French riviera town
of Nice on July 17, 2016.
The Islamic State group claimed
responsibility for the truck attack that killed
84 people in Nice on France's national
holiday, a news service affiliated with the
jihadists said on July 16. Tunisian Mohamed
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne
truck into a packed crowd of people in the
Riviera city celebrating Bastille Day --
France's national day. / AFP PHOTO /
The truck drove two kilometres (1.3 miles)
through the crowd, Interior Minister Bernard
Cazeneuve told reporters.
Anti-terror prosecutor Francois Molins said
the driver fired "several times" on three
police officers as they tried to bring the
truck to a halt, and eventually shot him
dead.
It later emerged that the killer had checked
out the scene on the two days previous to
the attack in his white truck.
- Details of the assault -
The truck pulled onto a section of roadway
that was open to traffic despite the
fireworks. Agents watching via the city's
network of surveillance cameras quickly
spotted the vehicle because heavy trucks
are not allowed in the area.
Though the pedestrian area was protected
by metal barriers and police cars, the truck
"forced its way onto the footpath" according
to authorities. Travelling at 90 kilometres
per hour (55 mph), the truck blasted through
the obstacles.
In order to stop the truck "you would have
needed a concrete wall", said an official.
City Hall authorities noted that barely 45
seconds later the attacker was shot dead by
police.
- Who was the assailant? -
Molins named the driver as a 31-year-old
Tunisian, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who
lived in Nice, and was described by
neighbours as a loner who never responded
to their greetings.
His identity papers were found in the truck,
along with a pistol and ammunition and a
number of fake weapons including two
replica assault rifles. His body was found on
the passenger seat, said the prosecutor.
Molins said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had had
various brushes with the law since 2010 for
making threats, theft and violence, including
a conviction in March this year for which he
was given a six-month suspended sentence.
But he was "totally unknown" to the
intelligence services, said Molins.
His estranged wife was held for questioning
and later released. Six other people believed
to be linked to him have also been detained.
The attacker's father, who lives in Msaken,
eastern Tunisia, said his son had suffered
from depression and had "no links" to
religion.
While some who knew him said he was
unreligious, other witnesses said he had
recently shown outward signs of becoming
more religious.
He appeared to have been radicalised very
quickly, French authorities say.
- IS claims attack -
The Islamic State group claimed on Saturday
that one of its "soldiers" carried out the
attack "in response to calls to target nations
of coalition states that are fighting (IS)".
The probe is being handled by anti-terrorism
investigators.
The attack comes with France under a state
of emergency following the Islamic State
attacks in Paris in November that left 130
people dead.
- Government response -
Hollande announced that the state of
emergency -- which he had said only the
day before would end on July 26 -- will be
extended by three months. Army reservists
will be called up to boost security.
He also said France would strengthen its
role in Iraq and Syria, where it is part of the
international coalition fighting IS jihadists.
France later called on young "patriots"
between 17 and 30 to join the reserves.
- Who are the victims? -
Eighty-four people were killed, including 10
children and adolescents, and around 300
sought treatment at hospitals.
Eighteen people, including one child, are still
fighting for their lives in hospital, the health
ministry said.
Hollande said "many foreigners and young
children" were among those killed or injured.
The dead included nationals of Tunisia,
France, Germany, the United States,
Switzerland, Algeria, Poland, Morocco,
Russia, Armenia and Madagascar.