One person dead and several people injured in France knife attack

One person has been killed and several more injured in a knife attack in eastern France that President Emmanuel Macron said was an "Islamist terror act".

The attack took place at a covered canal market in Mulhouse, near the German border, at around 4pm on Saturday afternoon.

Two municipal police officers suffered serious injuries in the incident, public prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said. One of the seriously wounded police officers sustained an injury to the carotid artery, and the other to the thorax.

Three other officers also sustained minor injuries, Heitz added.

France's national anti-terror prosecutors unit (PNAT), which has taken charge of the investigation, said the suspect first attacked the municipal police officers, shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest). It is understood a passerby was killed trying to intervene.

A 37-year-old Algerian man was arrested at the scene and the prosecutor has opened a terrorist inquiry.

The arrested man, who also remained unidentified publicly, was on a file containing suspects said to have been ‘radicalised as terrorists,’ said Mr Heitz. He did not have settled status in France, and was due to be deported, having been convicted in the past of ‘showing sympathy for terrorism’.

"The terrorist track seems to be favoured for the moment," Michele Lutz, the local mayor, said in a post on Facebook. "Horror has just gripped our city."

Police have set up a security perimeter near the canal market where the deadly incident took place as they begin further investigations.

President Emmanuel Macron said there was "no doubt it was an Islamist terrorist attack" as he expressed ‘the solidarity of the nation’ with those attacked, and their families.

The government was determined to continue doing "everything to eradicate terrorism on our soil", Macron added.

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.