An ISIS-supporting knifeman screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ has been killed after he attacked a guard outdoors the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade on Wednesday, Serbian police mentioned.
Inside Minister Ivica Dacic mentioned that police had been treating the incident as a ‘terrorist assault’ and had raised the fear menace to the very best stage and stepped up police presence at key places.
Dacic mentioned the attacker was a minor and had two knives. He attacked the member of the Gendarmerie, shouting Allahu Akbar, or ‘God is nice’ in Arabic.
Serbian prosecutors mentioned {that a} ‘individual wearing black garments’ opened the door to the guard’s sales space outdoors the embassy and charged on the officer inside with the knives, throwing one in his path and hitting the officer’s left cheek.
The police officer, who was barely wounded within the face, killed the assailant in self-defense within the incident simply after midnight.
Police images from the scene confirmed the guard’s sales space outdoors the embassy and the realm sealed off by police tape as officers in full gear stood close by.
The attacker was believed to be from the western Serbian city of Sabac, Dacic mentioned.
He mentioned that Serbia’s safety businesses had been monitoring the attacker, who he mentioned was a supporter of the Islamic State group.
A seize from a video seems to point out the assailant and the knife used within the assault
Serbian gendarmes guard the Israeli embassy after an assailant attacked a guard with knives
The scene of an assault on a police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade
Police images from the scene confirmed the guard’s sales space outdoors the embassy and the realm sealed off
Dacic mentioned that ‘he stored the black flag in help of the Islamic State on his Instagram’ account.
Israel’s overseas ministry confirmed the ‘tried terrorist assault,’ saying it was below investigation by the Serbian authorities.
‘The attacker was neutralized by native police,’ the assertion mentioned. ‘No embassy personnel had been injured, and the mission was closed on the time of the incident, which occurred late at night time.’
Wednesday’s assault comes simply days after Serbia held a key early parliamentary election on Sunday wherein long-ruling former President Aleksandar Vucic was defeated by a youth-led motion after virtually two years of protests in opposition to him.
However Vucic and his allies nonetheless management the police as the brand new authorities is but to be fashioned.
Israel additionally held its parliamentary vote Tuesday that exit polls mentioned produced no clear winner.
It’s the second such assault at Belgrade’s Israeli embassy in two years. In June 2024, an assailant shot a Serbian police officer within the neck with a crossbow. The assailant was shot and killed by a guard.
Israel’s embassy is situated not removed from the US Embassy in an upscale Belgrade district.
It’s guarded by an elite police unit with officers armed with computerized weapons.
Serbia has maintained shut relations with Israel.
