A deadly knife attack in the eastern French city of Mulhouse has left one civilian dead and five police officers injured, two of them seriously, in what President Emmanuel Macron has condemned as an "Islamist terror act".
The assailant, a 37-year-old man listed on France's terror prevention watchlist, was swiftly taken into custody, according to prosecutor Nicolas Heitz, reports AFP.
The national anti-terrorism prosecution unit (PNAT) has assumed charge of the investigation, confirming that the suspect had first targeted municipal police officers while shouting "Allahu Akbar" before a civilian passer-by intervened and was fatally wounded. The victim was identified as a 69-year-old Portuguese national.
Macron, speaking at France’s annual agriculture fair, asserted that there was "no doubt" regarding the terrorist nature of the incident, reaffirming the government's commitment to eradicating terrorism.
The attack occurred shortly before 4:00pm (1500 GMT) during a demonstration in support of the Democratic Republic of Congo in a densely populated area of Mulhouse, a city of approximately 1.1 lakh residents. A security perimeter was established, and military reinforcements were dispatched. Forensic teams worked rapidly to gather evidence before rain could erase crucial traces.
Among the seriously injured officers, one sustained a wound to the carotid artery, while the other suffered an injury to the thorax. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau was expected to visit the scene.
Union sources disclosed that the suspect, originally from Algeria, had been under judicial supervision and house arrest, with an expulsion order pending against him.
Mulhouse mayor Michele Lutz, expressing her distress, stated on social media, "Horror has seized our city," while acknowledging that the judiciary must officially confirm the terror motive. The PNAT has launched an investigation into murder and attempted murder "in connection with a terrorist enterprise".
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou lamented that "fanaticism has struck again, and we are in mourning".
