A machete attack that injured two female police officers in the Belgian city of Charleroi Saturday appears to be an act of terrorism, officials said.
(FOX)- The assailant, who reportedly shouted “Allahu Akhbar,” the Arabic phrase meaning “God is great”, was shot by a third officer and later died of his inuries.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the attacker’s identity and motive were not immediately known, but “first indications” suggested the attack was terror-related.
“Thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and police officers,” Michel posted on Twitter. The prime minister broke off his vacation in the south of France and was returning to Belgium for an emergency meeting of the government’s National Security Council on Sunday.
Sky News reported that one of the wounded officers suffered “moderate” injuries to her face, while the other was less seriously injured.
Michel told RTL television in an interview that he has also asked the independent OCAM agency to immediately assess whether there is an increased threat to Belgian internal security. Belgium has been on high alert in the wake of the March 22 suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State extremist group that killed 32 people in Brussels.
Charleroi police spokesman David Quinaux said Saturday’s attacker carried the weapon in a sports bag, and pulled it out as he arrived at a security checkpoint outside police headquarters in the southern Belgian city just before 4 p.m. (10 a.m. ET)