A man armed with a knife killed two people and injured another in France’s Capital Paris on Thursday before being shot dead by the police, France 24 reported. The incident occurred in the suburb of Trappes near Versailles.
The victims were the attacker’s mother and sister, Reuters quoted the French interior ministry as saying. The man had been on a terror watch list since 2016, AFP reported. The Amaq news agency, which is affiliated to the Islamic State jihadist group, claimed that the attacker was one of its fighters, the SITE Intel Group reported.
The group, however, did not provide any evidence to back its claim and released the statement before it was confirmed that the victims were related to the attacker.
Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said his thoughts were with “the victims and their loved ones”. He also praised the security services for their quick reaction.
Trappes, located 30 km from Paris, is an underprivileged suburb in the wealthy Yvelines area, AFP reported. Almost half of its 30,000 inhabitants are younger than 25 years and the unemployment level is close to 20%. The town is a short drive from the world-famous Versailles Palace and is known for problems linked to poverty, criminal gangs and hard-line interpretations of Islam.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!