French police are conducting a manhunt for a group of assailants responsible for an attack that led to the death of two prison officers and the escape of a convict linked to gangland drug crimes.
President Emmanuel Macron has pledged comprehensive efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice, including the inmate who remains at large and any accomplices involved in the escape.
The attack occurred at a motorway toll in Incarville, in the northern region of Eure, during the transportation of the inmate from Rouen to Evreux.
According to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, the prison van was rammed by a stolen Peugeot vehicle and subsequently targeted by gunmen who emerged from an Audi.
Macron condemned the assault, promising stringent action against the culprits.
Video footage captured by surveillance cameras depicted the vehicular collision and the ensuing gunfire, with armed individuals seen guiding the escaped inmate away from the scene. The attackers’ vehicle was later discovered burned-out at another location.
Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti vowed that the perpetrators would face severe consequences for their actions. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed the mobilisation of hundreds of French police officers to assist in the search.
The fallen prison officers, both men, are the first casualties in the line of duty since 1992. Prison officer unions have called for improved safety measures for staff and announced a day of minimum service in response to the incident.
The escaped inmate, identified as Mohamed Amra, has a criminal record involving aggravated robbery and is suspected of involvement in drug trafficking and gang-related killings.
The incident coincided with the release of a Senate report highlighting the failure of government measures to curb drug trafficking in France, sparking concerns over law and order issues ahead of the upcoming elections.
Far-right politicians, including Jordan Bardella of the National Rally Party, have condemned the attack, describing it as a manifestation of ongoing savagery in the country.