Police in Serbia shoot dead knife attacker at Israeli embassy
In Belgrade, a police officer shot dead a man who attacked him with knives near the Israeli embassy and had earlier wounded a guard. Serbian police and prosecutors said the officer's actions were lawful and justified in self-defence.
Yulduz Salimov2 min read
Overnight in Belgrade, a police officer shot a man who attacked him with two knives at the Israeli embassy. According to Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, the attacker had earlier stabbed a police officer guarding the embassy.
Dačić, whose statement was reported by Reuters, said the attacker was a minor, whose identity has not yet been established. According to preliminary information, he may be from the city of Šabac in western Serbia. His statement says the minor rushed at the police officer from a crowd, shouting "Allahu akbar", and attacked him with two knives.
What the investigation has established
As the Higher Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade reported, an unidentified man in dark clothing opened the door of a guard booth in front of the embassy building and rushed at a police officer, whom the prosecutor's office named only by his initials, D. S. According to the prosecutor's office, the attacker struck one knife into D. S. and wounded him in the left cheek. The police officer then drew his service weapon and fired several shots, as a result of which the attacker was killed on the spot. The prosecutor's office said the police officer's actions were qualified as lawful and committed in self-defence. The investigation is ongoing.
Security measures and context
Dačić said the level of security threat in Serbia had been raised to high. He also said that police presence would be strengthened at key facilities.
This is the second attack on the Israeli embassy in Belgrade in two years. In June 2024, an attacker fired a crossbow at a Serbian police officer, wounding him in the neck.
The attack came the day after elections in Israel. According to preliminary forecasts, the opposition bloc came close to a tie with the bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As a reminder, in Serbia a student movement during the election campaign on Sunday led to the resignation of former prime minister Aleksandar Vučić. The current government remains in a caretaker capacity until a new cabinet is formed.
Source: al-monitor.com
