On Saturday, a man went on a stabbing spree in a small city in France, causing the death of one person and injuring several others. French President Emmanuel Macron described it as an “Islamist terrorist attack.” Macron emphasized that the government is committed to eradicating terrorism in the country, and the police are investigating the stabbing as a terrorist incident.

The attack took place in Mulhouses, a city located about 70 miles south of Strasbourg, near France’s borders with Germany and Switzerland. During the attack, the 37-year-old suspect shouted “Allahu akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great,” which has been used as a war cry by Islamic fundamentalists in certain terrorist incidents. Although it is an everyday expression, it has gained a more sinister connotation in certain circumstances.

In the attack, three police officers were injured, two of them seriously, and a civilian attempting to intervene was also killed. The suspect, who remains unnamed, had been placed on France’s terrorist watchlist. He was a resident who was required to leave the country due to having his residence or asylum applications rejected.

Mulhouse’s mayor, Michèle Lutz, expressed her horror over the incident and the impact it had on the city.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/world/europe/terrorist-attack-at-market-in-france-leaves-one-dead.html