Car tries to plough into French soldiers (Lead)

Paris March 29 (IANS) A man on Thursday attempted to plough his car into a group of soldiers who were out jogging near their barracks in southeast France.

Soldiers of the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment dived into a ditch to avoid the oncoming vehicle in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset near Grenoble the BBC reported.

French Army spokesman Colonel Benoît Brulon confirmed Thursday s attack saying the man had "verbally threatened" some soldiers who were starting their morning jog before trying to ram them as they returned.

The police have launched a manhunt for the driver who sped off after the attack in what according to reports was a stolen Peugeot 208.

The incident comes after 25-year-old Radouane Lakdim attacked a supermarket in Trebes on March 23 killing four people including a police officer.

--IANS
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