One dead and two police officers wounded in Islamist knife attack in Mulhouse, France

There was a new Islamist attack in Europe on Saturday, a knife attack by an Algerian Muslim in the eastern French city of Mulhouse. In the attack, one person was killed and two police officers were seriously injured.

Three other municipal police officers were slightly wounded in the attack in the city of Mulhouse, allegedly committed by a 37-year-old individual who is on a terrorism prevention watch list, prosecutor Nicolas Heitz, who went to the scene, told AFP. The detainee is an Algerian national.

One of the police officers seriously wounded was hit in "the carotid artery" and the other "in the thorax," he specified.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack an "act of terrorism"and added that there was no doubt it was an "Islamist" attack.

Prime Minister Fraçois Bayrou lamented that "fanaticism" hit the country again. "We are in mourning," the head of government said.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau is scheduled to arrive on the scene in the evening.

The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office announced in a statement that it was taking over the investigation.

The events occurred shortly before 4 p.m. local time on the sidelines of a demonstration in support of the Congo.

The suspect, born in Algeria, is under judicial surveillance and house arrest, according to union sources. The man is subject to an obligation to leave French territory.

"Horror has just taken hold of our town," states Mayor Michèle Lutz in a message on Facebook.

"For the moment, the terrorist trail seems to be contemplated. Naturally, this must be confirmed by the judicial authorities," she added and expressed to the victims and their families her "fraternal feelings."