In a park in Annecy, southeastern France, on Thursday, a man armed with a knife attacked several people, including children, according to French authorities.
The interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, reported on Twitter that authorities had arrested the suspect, who had injured multiple people. However, details about the severity of their injuries and the age of the children were not yet disclosed, and the motive of the assailant remains unknown.
Antoine Armand, a lawmaker for Haute-Savoie, which encompasses Annecy, stated on Twitter that what happened was an “abominable knife attack on children in a playground” in the city.
Mr. Armand said: “We know very little at this stage.” The local authorities stated that a police operation was underway at Jardins de l’Europe, a popular lakefront park in Annecy, and advised the public to avoid the area.
In recent years, terrorist attacks have subsided in France, but the country remains on high alert, as reported by authorities who regularly thwart alleged plots. The motive behind the stabbings on Thursday is still unknown, but France suffered large-scale Islamist terrorist attacks in 2015 and 2016, followed by several deadly shootings and stabbings perpetrated by independent attackers in subsequent years.
