Creggan hijackings condemned with residents suffering evacuations and street closures

In the first incident it was reported that at approximately 11.30 a.m. three masked men had hijacked a white Transit van in the Circular Road area before throwing an object into it.

A number of homes were evacuated in the wake of the incident.

There was a further reported hijacking at Southway at 1.45 p.m. when it was reported four masked men, one of them who was reported to have had a gun, hijacked a delivery van and ordered its driver to take it to the Lone Moor Road.

Sinn Féin Councillor Kevin Campbell condemned those behind the security alerts in the Circular Road and Southway areas of Derry.

He said: "Ongoing security alerts in Circular Road and Southway have caused significant disruption to local residents this afternoon with many homes being evacuated and the streets closed.

"Those responsible for this disruption have shown complete disregard for the people of Creggan, particularly elderly people who live in this area.

"There can be no justification for this type of reckless activity."

Foyle MLA Mark H. Durkan said: "This incident is yet another major disruption for residents in the Creggan area, on top of the disruption and destruction that was caused in the city centre over the weekend. "The only people suffering here are local people. These attacks are as illogical as they are unacceptable."