Soldiers guarding Jewish centre in Nice attacked with knives

by Stephen Oryszczuk

Two soldiers guarding a Jewish community centre in the southern French city of Nice have been wounded in a knife attack.

A man named by police union officials as Moussa was detained at the scene. He is believed to be one of the assailants. Two others are believed to be on-the-run.

One of the soldiers was treated for a knife injury to the cheek, the other to the arm. Neither is thought to be serious. A third guard is believed to have avoided injury.

The latest terror incident – the third involving the country’s Jewish community in as many years and the second in 2015.

Board of Deputies President Vivian Wineman said he was “saddened” to hear the news, adding: “This emphasises the need for continual vigilance. We wish the soldiers a speedy recovery.”

The interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said they were not suspected of links to the Paris attacks.

France has been on a state of high alert for the past month, when jihadists attacked a satirical magazine and a kosher grocery store.

More than 10,000 soldiers have since been deployed around the country to protect sensitive locations, including shopping areas, synagogues, mosques, community centres, airports and railway stations.