Children injured after knife attack in France

Several children have been stabbed in an attack in a park near Lake Annecy, in France’s south-east, the interior minister says.

Gérald Darmanin confirmed the perpetrator who is thought to be a Syrian asylum seeker,had been arrested by police.

Regional deputy Antoine Armand described the attack as “abominable” and said authorities were investigating.

The French prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, is on her way to the scene.

Six children were injured in the stabbing, AFP news agency reported.

Local media, BFM TV reported the victims were around three years old.

France’s National Assembly has observed a minute of silence and roads are blocked around the scene of the attack.

French President Emmanuel Macron has tweeted about the knife attack, calling it an act of “cowardice”.

He says children and an adult are in critical condition, which ties in with the most recent reports by AFP, outlined in our previous post.

“The nation is in shock,” Macron adds.

“Our thoughts are with [those hurt] as well as their families and the emergency services.”