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3 killed by militant in separate attacks in southern France

By Doug G. Ware and Susan McFarland

March 23 (UPI) -- Three people were killed Friday and a dozen others were injured in separate attacks in southern France that authorities believe were motivated by terrorism.

The gunman, who claimed to be affiliated with the Islamic State terror group, stormed a market in Trèbes and took hostages.

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Police said two people shot inside, an employee and a customer, died from their injuries.

The hostage taker was eventually killed by police.

A short time before the attack, the same gunman is believed to have shot a police officer in Carcassone, about 9 miles away. He killed another person during a carjacking there, police said. The officer is expected to survive.

The attacker was described as a Moroccan national in his 30s and was known to intelligence services. He was not immediately named.

After bursting into the market, the gunman said he was affiliated with the Islamic State and demanded the release of militant Salah Abdeslam -- one of the terror group's surviving perpetrators of the 2015 Paris attacks.

Trèbes is 385 miles south of Paris and 50 miles southeast of Toulouse.

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About 50 people ran away from the supermarket when the shooting started.

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