Nice (AsiaNews) – At least three people, two women and a man, were killed and several more wounded in a knife attack carried out by a man, apparently a radical Islamist.
The attack took place at Nice’s Our Lady of the Assumption Basilica around 9 am.
First, a woman had her throat cut inside the basilica, and a man was fatally wounded. A third victim was killed in a bar in front of the basilica where she had taken refuge.
Early reports suggest one of the dead was the basilica’s caretaker.
After moving in, police arrested the attacker who was wounded. He is currently in hospital in very serious condition. Whilst being treated he repeatedly shouted "Allahu Akhbar!" (God is greatest!).
Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, said that everything points to " to a "terrorist attack at the heart of the Notre-Dame basilica" by a supporter of “Islamofascism”.
France’s National Assembly held a minute's silence in honour of the victims during a debate over lockdown measures against COVID-19.
This is not the first terror attack in the city of Nice. On Bastille Day, 14 July, in 2016, a 31-year-old Tunisian man drove a lorry into the festive crowd, killing 86 people.
In recent weeks, after a teacher was beheaded for showing a satirical cartoon about Mohammed in class, tensions between the French government and the Islamic world have risen.
Statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan further inflamed the situation. France and Turkey are on opposite sides with respect to the future of Libya and the Middle East.
