THE HAGUE: Two people were killed after a gunman opened fire in a McDonald’s restaurant in the northern Dutch city of Zwolle on Wednesday, police and local media said.
“Two people were killed in a shooting incident,” Dutch police tweeted, with local broadcaster RTL Oost saying the incident happened around 6pm (1600 GMT) in a McDonald’s.
Witnesses told RTL Oost the men were having a meal when the gunman walked into the restaurant and fired shots at them in an apparent “targeted” attack.
“The man first ordered a meal and sat at a table across from the two victims before shooting,” RTL Oost added.
“There was massive panic among the customers who all tried to flee outside,” the broadcaster said.
The assailant then fled.
Police and ambulances rushed to the scene where rescue workers tried to resuscitate one of the wounded victims, who later died.
Police said they were looking for witnesses and the search for the gunman continued.
They did not give details for a possible motive or the identities of the two victims, who were said to be of a Turkish-Dutch background.
Video images from the scene showed the area cordoned off with police tape while a helicopter circled overhead.
Shocked bystanders and relatives of the victims could also be seen consoling each other.
Two killed in shooting at McDonald’s in Dutch city
https://arab.news/mcqbz
Two killed in shooting at McDonald’s in Dutch city
- "Two people were killed in a shooting incident," Dutch police tweeted
- The gunman walked into the restaurant and fired shots at them in an apparent "targeted" attack
EU should consider forming combined military force: defense chief
- Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” that could eventually replace US forces
- Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland
BRUSSELS: EU countries should weigh whether to set up a combined military force that could eventually replace US troops in Europe, the bloc’s defense chief said Sunday.
EU defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” as a possible option to better protect the continent.
“How will we replace the 100,000-strong American standing military force, which is the back-bone military force in Europe?” he asked in a speech in Sweden.
The suggestion comes as US President Donald Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland.
Worries over Trump’s commitment to Europe have already spurred countries to step up efforts to bolster their militaries in the face of the threat posed by Russia.
Ideas about establishing a central European army have floated around for years but have largely failed to gain traction as nations are wary of relinquishing control over their militaries.
The US has pushed its European allies to increasingly take over responsibility for their own security, and raised the prospect it could shift forces from Europe to focus on China.
“In such times, we should not run away from the most pressing questions on our institutional defense readiness,” said Kubilius, a former Lithuanian prime minister.
In his speech Kubilius also advocated for the creation of a “European Security Council” of key powers — including potentially Britain — that could help the continent take decisions over its own defense quicker.
“The European Security Council could be composed of key permanent members, along with several rotational members,” he said.
“In total around 10-12 members, with the task to discuss the most important issues in defense.”
He said the first focus of such a body should be trying to change the dynamics in the war in Ukraine to ensure that Kyiv does not end up losing.
“We need to have a clear answer — how is the EU going to change that scenario?,” he said.
“This is the reason why we need to have a European Security Council now!“
