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Two police officers attacked with machete in Belgium Assailant dies following machete attack of Belgium police officers
(35 minutes later)
Two police officers have been attacked with a machete outside a police station in Belgium, local authorities have said. Two police officers have been attacked with a machete outside a police station in Belgium, local authorities have said. The officers, reportedly both women, were assaulted in Charleroi, south of Brussels, on Saturday afternoon by an attacker shouting in Arabic, police said.
The officers, who are reportedly both women, were assaulted in Charleroi, south of Brussels, on Saturday afternoon by an attacker shouting in Arabic, police said. According to Charleroi police, the attacker, who has not yet been identified, was shot by a third officer at the scene and has since died. The two officers are now out of danger, Charleroi police said. The force published a tweet alleging that the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) as he approached the officers.
According to Charleroi police, the knife-wielding man, who has not been identified, was shot by a third officer at the scene and is in a serious condition in hospital.
The force tweeted that the attacker allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he approached the officers.
2 policières blessées par machette devant hôtel de police par auteur criant Allah Ouhakbar. Individu abattu mais vivant #PoliceCharleroi2 policières blessées par machette devant hôtel de police par auteur criant Allah Ouhakbar. Individu abattu mais vivant #PoliceCharleroi
Emergency services have erected a security cordon around boulevard Pierre Mainz, near the police station. A witness told RTL that one of the officers had suffered wounds to the face and had been taken to hospital, while the second victim was less seriously injured. Emergency services have erected a security cordon around boulevard Pierre Mainz, near the police station.
A witness told RTL one of the officers had suffered wounds to the face and was taken to hospital, while the second victim was less seriously injured. Charles Michel, the Belgian prime minister, strongly condemned the attack and said his thoughts were with the victims. He plans to return from his holiday to meet police on Sunday, according to state TV channel RTBF.
Charles Michel, the Belgian prime minister, strongly condemned the attack and said his thoughts were with the victims.
Je condamne l'attaque à Charleroi avec force. Pensées vont aux victimes, leurs proches et les policiers. Nous suivons la situation de près.Je condamne l'attaque à Charleroi avec force. Pensées vont aux victimes, leurs proches et les policiers. Nous suivons la situation de près.
In March Islamist bombers killed 32 people in suicide attacks in Brussels. Many of those who carried out attacks on Paris last November in which 130 people died were based in Belgium. Belgium’s interior minister, Jan Jambon, announced that the national terrorism-risk analysis agency, Ocam, was evaluating the situation. In a tweet he said: “Despicable act in Charleroi. All my support to the two injured officers, as well as their colleagues and families. An Ocam evaluation is under way.”
The country has increasingly found itself at the centre of Europe’s battle against terrorism and authorities have faced strong criticism for not doing enough to keep tabs on suspected extremists. In March, Islamist bombers killed 32 people in suicide attacks in Brussels. Many of those who carried out attacks on Paris last November in which 130 people died were based in Belgium. The country has increasingly found itself at the centre of Europe’s battle against terrorism, and authorities have faced strong criticism for not doing enough to keep tabs on suspected extremists.
Brussels, which houses many European Union institutions and the Nato headquarters, is on the second-highest security alert level, along with the rest of the country, indicating a “serious” status with a “possible and probable” threat.