Barcelona terror attack: Two men arrested, 12 killed after van ploughed into crowd of pedestrians

Two men have been arrested after a white van ploughed into a crowd of people in a busy Barcelona tourist district, killing at least 12 and injuring 80 others.

The Islamic State Group claimed responsibility for the attack via their Amaq News Agency. ISIS frequently declares involvement in incidents across the world so their claims should be treated with caution, though Catalan Police have confirmed the incident is a terror attack.

Local police also said a driver later ran over two police officers at a checkpoint elsewhere in the city, but it was not clear if the incidents were linked.

The horrifying attack took place at around 5pm local time, when the vehicle careered into terrified pedestrians in the busy tree-lined promenade in Las Ramblas, one of the most popular parts of the city, visited by tourists and locals alike.

One of those arrested is thought to include the driver of the van used in the attack, while Spanish media have also published a picture of a man police sources say rented the van.Authorities named him as Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old born in Morocco who lives in Catalunya.

Security sources told El Pais that Oukabir had recently visited Morocco and arrived back in Barcelona earlier this week.

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The man police sources say rented the van that was used in the attack

Pictures from the scene showed police helping people injured in what has been described as a ‘massive crash’.

Numerous bodies could be seen strewn over the street.

Earlier reports said up to two armed men had fled to a restaurant and taken hostages, but police have since confirmed no suspects are holed up in nearby buildings.