France assault: What we find out about stabbing of youngsters in Annecy playground

Several kids and at the least one grownup have been stabbed in a knife assault in France.

French inside minister Gerald Darmanin stated the assault occurred in a sq. within the lakeside city of Annecy within the south east of the nation.

“Several people including children have been injured by an individual armed with a knife in a square in Annecy,” he tweeted.

What do we all know in regards to the assault?

A person armed with a knife attacked a group of children and adults in a park.

The assault occurred in a playground within the medieval city within the French Alps.

Sky News worldwide correspondent John Sparks says it “would be very busy at this time of year with tourists and residents out on the streets”.

Police stated 4 kids are among the many injured.

Two, reported to be simply three years previous, suffered life-threatening accidents, whereas two escaped with minor accidents.

One grownup additionally sustained life-threatening accidents.

What in regards to the attacker?

The attacker is reported to be a Syrian nationwide with authorized refugee standing in France, a police official informed the Reuters news company.

Police say he’s in his 30s and has been detained.

He was not recognized to the French safety providers and his motivation is unclear, a supply informed the Reuters news company.

This video seems to have been taken by a bystander after the assault.

You can hear what appears like screams of individuals.

Two members of the general public with their rucksacks seem to attempt to cease the attacker or decelerate his progress.

What did witnesses see – and what’s native media reporting?

One witness informed broadcaster BFMTV he noticed first aiders engaged on “little bodies, three or four years old, perhaps”.

Local politician Antoine Armand stated the kids have been attacked on a playground close to a major college.

Speaking to BFMTV from the National Assembly constructing in Paris, he stated the victims embrace “very young” kids who have been “savagely attacked”.

BFMTV confirmed footage of a number of policemen overpowering a person in a park.

Another witness, who gave his title as Ferdinand, informed BFMTV: “He jumped (in the playground), started shouting and then went towards the strollers, repeatedly hitting the little ones with a knife.

Another witness who owns a restaurant nearby, George, said: “Mothers have been crying, all people was operating.”

Yohan, who owns an ice-cream parlour opposite the park, said: “It’s a spot the place babysitters and oldsters take younger kids to play. I usually see round 15 toddlers there within the morning, and the environment is unbelievable.”

What have the president and politicians said?

Emmanuel Macron said it was an “completely cowardly assault in a park” and the “nation is in shock”.

In Paris, politicians interrupted a debate to hold a moment of silence for the victims, BFMTV reported.

The assembly president, Yael Braun-Pivet, said: “There are some very younger kids who’re in essential situation and I invite you to respect a minute of silence for them, for his or her households, and in order that, we hope, the results of this very grave assault don’t result in the nation grieving.”