The Scotsman

Women killed in station stabbing

● Attacker is shot dead by police after fatal stabbings at French train station

- By SYLVIE CORBET

Two young women were killed in brutal knife attacks at a French train station in the latest terror incident to rock the nation.

The victims, aged 17 and 20, were fatally wounded at the main train station in the city of Marseille.

Their attacker was shot and killed by soldiers involved in heightened patrols of major transport hubs. He is understood to to have shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”) as he attacked his victims. French president Emmanuel Macron said he was disgusted by the “barbarous act”.

The man who carried out the attack yesterday afternoon was aged in his twenties and of north African appearance

EYEWITNESS REPORTS

Two young women were killed in a terrorist knife attack at a French train station which led to police shooting dead their attacker.

The incident at Marseille’s Saint Charles train station is being treated as an act of terrorism, officials said.

An unnamed official told France’s Le Monde newspaper the assailant had cried “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”).

The assailant was been shot dead by security forces in the southern French city after killing his victims, one of whom was stabbed to death and the other had her throat. They were aged 17 and 20.

Interior minister Gérard Collomb revealed the attacker had fled after the first murder but returned to kill again.

French prosecutor­s said a counter-terrorism investigat­ion has been opened. President Emmanuel Macron said he was disgusted by the “barbarous act” and paid tribute to the soldiers and the police officers who responded.

The attack took place by a bench outside the southern French city’s Saint Charles train station.

The man who carried out the attack yesterday afternoon was aged in his 20s and of north African appearance. It is understood he was known by police for petty crimes.

About 7,000 French soldiers patrol major tourist sites, places of worship, train stations and airports across France. The so-called “Sentinelle Operation” has been in place since deadly extremist attacks in France in 2015. Earlier this month, four American college students were attacked with acid at the same train station in Marseille. At the time, French authoritie­s said the assailant was suffering from a mental illness and it was not investigat­ed as a terrorist attack.

Last July a lorry ploughed into a crowd of people on the Nice beachfront during Bastille Day celebratio­ns, killing 86. Islamic State claimed responsibi­lity for the attack, conducted by a Tunisian-born driver who was later shot dead by police.

 ?? PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES ?? 0 French police and forensics officers at the scene outside Saint-charles train station in Marseille
PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES 0 French police and forensics officers at the scene outside Saint-charles train station in Marseille

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