Catalan police have confirmed that at least 13 people have died as a result of a van crashing into crowds of people in the city’s Las Ramblas district this evening.
Authorities are treating the incident as a terrorist attack.
Catalonian interior minister Joaquim Forn confirmed the number of dead on Twitter.
La meva més rotunda condemna a l'atemptat terrorista de Barcelona. Podem confirmar 13 morts i més de 50 ferits. @mossos @solercampins pic.twitter.com/va0IlQejb0
— Joaquim Forn (@quimforn) August 17, 2017
Islamic State has claimed that they are responsible for the attack.
Police initially described the incident as a “massive crash” and urged people to stay away from the area.
Sky News has reported that two people have been arrested in connection with the attack.
Catalan police also released a photo of one suspect who is now in police custody.
Catalan police have released this picture of the #Barcelona terror attack suspect pic.twitter.com/yg7C0qdJ21
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 17, 2017
Previous widespread reports suggesting that multiple people were “holed up” in a Barcelona bar have proved to be false.
The Las Ramblas district is a popular tourist area and is mainly pedestrianised.
