France attack: Nation reels after another night of carnage; reports say more to come

France has found itself beset by the Islamic State group and attackers claiming affiliation to it

At least 80 people were killed and scores injured in another attack in France, this time in the French resort of Nice where a truck ploughed into a crowd on Thursday.

According to officials, the attack, which French President Francois Hollande said was of a "terrorist character", took place after a fireworks display on Bastille Day, a French national holiday.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far, US President Barack Obama condemned "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack".

France in the cross-hairs

Bastille Day, called La fête nationale (The National Day) in France, is a celebration of the country's national identity. 

Writing for the Independent.ie, Fionnan Sheahan, however, says that Bastille Day is "more than a national celebration". Sheahan states that the choice of hitting France on such a day is a "deliberate assault on the spirit of France".

Further, the attack comes at a time when French authorities must have collectively sighed in relief after a thankfully uneventful 2016 UEFA European Championship. Some even said that despite France's defeat in the finals at the hands of Portugal, the country could claim a victory on the security front. 

Starting with the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices in January 2015, France has found itself beset by the Islamic State (IS) group and attackers claiming affiliation to it.

Calls of Je suis Charlie (I am Charlie) followed the January 2015 incident, but so did further attacks. 

The IS-claimed coordinated attacks on public spaces in Paris in November 2015, which left over 130 people dead, pushed the country's lawmakers to declare a state of Emergency. In the wake of Thursday's attack, President Hollande has declared that the state of Emergency, which was due to end on July 26, would now be extended by an additional three months. 

Next-door, Belgium has also found itself to be a target of the IS. In March this year, the IS attacked the Brussels airport and the metro, leaving 35 people dead. Further, reports emerged in April that the Belgian police abandoned a probe into participants in the November Paris attacks months ahead of the massacre due to a lack of funds, despite flagging them as priority terror suspects. 

It does not end here though, in what is a worrying indication, recent reports suggest that more attacks targeting France or French citizens might occur. France was informed of a planned terrorist attack on its team at the Rio Olympics, according to the head of the country's military intelligence. The plans were revealed by General Christophe Gomart, head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, at a parliamentary commission in May. 

While Brazilian authorities denied having been contacted by French authorities on the matter or of being apprised of it, Gomart told the commission that he had been informed of the plot – planned by a Brazilian national – "by our partners".