[The following is a contemporary report of the South African incident, reproduced with permission from the Firenze Archives.]

International Authorities secure a perimeter around Johannesburg, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, in South Africa. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Woods)

By Associated Press

Updated: Dec 23, 2021 at 7:57 PM CST

Johannesburg (AP) - The latest on the South African Incident, all times are local:

11:10 p.m.

US researchers have confirmed a direct link between the South African creatures and those that attacked France earlier this year. This confirmation has led to an official redesignation of the South African attackers as South African Anomalous Intruder Type I-IV, in keeping with the accepted international designation.

Expected casualties continue to rise after the fall of the Standerton line. South African government sources indicate as many as 250,000 dead or missing. UN reports suggest the number could currently be as high as 500,000, including at least 1,200 US troops of a total of 2,300 coalition casualties.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed this evening that the dead on Wednesday included his mother, as well as three of his six children. In a speech given to the National Assembly he called for 'unity in the face of overwhelming tragedy.' A motion of no confidence remains scheduled for early Thursday morning.

Police said both law enforcement and rioters deployed chemical irritants during the hours-long riot that occurred Wednesday afternoon. Seventy-three officers were injured in clashes as rioters attempted to force their way through security checkpoints in and around O.R. Tambo International Airport.

Evacuations by land continue at pace, despite the temporary shutdown of most outbound air traffic. Current estimates suggest that at least half of the population in at-risk areas have already fled, with the evacuation accelerating as humanitarian groups arrive on site.

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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SOUTH AFRICAN INCIDENT:

South African Anomalous Intruders were first confirmed on December 18th in connection with a series of brutal attacks in rural areas north of Newcastle. These attacks were initially thought to be animal in nature until a viral video of one of the anomalous creatures was uploaded to TikTok.

The South African government attempted to contain the outbreak militarily but was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of anomalous creatures, estimated to be at least several hundred thousand in number. International assistance was requested and granted, first by the United States, followed quickly after by the United Nations under the expanded auspices of the UN Paris Working Group, since renamed the UN Anomalous Relief Group.

Defensive lines were set in the evacuated cities of Newcastle and Standerton in an attempt to contain the incident. Heavier than expected fighting in Standerton forced a withdraw from international forces to a secondary line outside of Johannesburg.

Read more:

- Four types of South African Anomalous Intruder, including one airborne variant, were confirmed.

- A moment in South Africa, unimaginable but perhaps inevitable

- AP PHOTOS: Scenes of violence in Standerton shock the world

- Food and water shortages among refugees could ultimately lead to a higher death toll than Anomalous Creatures.

- Rumors of possible tactical nuclear strike intensify, despite outright refusal from the United States.