Shopping centre evacuated after suspicious backpack found

Guardia Civil officers evacuated a Decathlon store in the Palmones retail park in Los Barrios, Cádiz, on Saturday after a large suspicious backpack was found near the entrance.

The object was discovered in a bin beside the shop and prompted a security cordon around the area while officers checked the contents.

The evacuation was carried out as a precaution and there has been no confirmation that the bag contained any explosive device.

Witnesses reported a visible police presence around the store as customers were kept away from the entrance and nearby access points were restricted.

The incident came as police across southern Spain continue to deal with a recent spate of bomb alerts and other suspicious-object warnings in public places.

For related coverage, see our report on similar bomb alerts across the south of Spain.

What is known so far

At the time of publication, the operation remained a precautionary response to an abandoned object. No injuries were reported and authorities had not publicly confirmed the nature of the backpack.

Guardia Civil officers remained in control of the perimeter while the store and immediate surroundings were checked.