Premier Paolo Gentiloni led Italian
politicians in expressing grief Tuesday at the attack the
previous night on a concert in Manchester that killed at least
22 people and injured 59.
The attack was reportedly carried on by a man who detonated
an improvised explosive device at a concert of the young
American singer of Italian descent Ariana Grande.
The performer has a large following among teenage girls and
children and many minors were among the casualties.
Gentiloni expressed his condolences via Twitter, writing in
Italian that "Italy stands beside the British people and
government. Our thoughts are with the victims of the Manchester
attack and their families".
Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano tweeted a similar message.
"Condolences and pain for what happened in Manchester,"
Alfano said.
"We are close to the British people, to the government, to
the injured and to the families of the victims".
Former prime minister and head of the Democratic Party (PD)
Matteo Renzi wrote a Facebook post saying that "sowing death in
a concert among the young, where music should hold sway: what
happened in Manchester breaks one's heart. Prayers and thoughts
for the victims and their families, devastated by pain that
begins today and will never end".
On Instagram, Renzi also posted a photo with a British flag
and the caption: "our thoughts are with Manchester".
The crisis unit of the foreign ministry and the Italian
embassy in London are in the process of verifying whether any
Italian citizens were among the victims.
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