Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in which a van plowed into crowds in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday, the group’s Amaq news agency said.
“The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states,” the agency said, referring to a United States-led coalition against the Sunni militant group.
On Thursday afternoon at 16:50 local time (14:50 GMT). a white van smashed into people on Las Ramblas, a famous boulevard in central Barcelona that runs 1.2km (0.75 miles) and was packed with tourists.
The van driver is said to have zig-zagged to try and hit as many people as possible along the pedestrianised area, knocking many to the floor and sending others fleeing for cover in shops and cafes.
He killed 13 people and injured more than 100, and managed to flee the scene.
About eight hours later, an Audi A3 car ploughed into pedestrians in the popular seaside resort town of Cambrils, 110km (68 miles) south-west of Barcelona.
Six civilians were injured, one critically, and a police officer was hurt too.
Five attackers, some of whom were wearing suicide belts, were then shot dead by police. Controlled explosions were then carried out
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