Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the “cowardly terrorist attack” that occurred in New Orleans, USA, where a truck was driven into a crowd of New Year revelers, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and injuring dozens more.
In a tweet on Thursday, PM Modi extended his condolences to the families of the victims, expressing hope that they would “find strength and solace” in the aftermath of the tragedy. “We strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack in New Orleans. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. May they find strength and solace as they heal from this tragedy,” he stated.
The attack took place on Wednesday when the assailant, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, first rammed his truck into the crowd before opening fire. He was killed in a shootout with police following the incident.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Jabbar had an ISIS flag displayed on his truck and may have had accomplices in carrying out the attack. The FBI is currently investigating the incident as a terrorist act.
New Orleans police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick described Jabbar as “hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did” during a press conference. Investigators discovered firearms and what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the vehicle, along with other devices. The ISIS flag was reportedly found on the vehicle’s trailer hitch, as reported by the Associated Press.
Jabbar served as a regular soldier from March 2007 until January 2015 and continued in the Army Reserve until July 2020. He was deployed in Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of his service.
