A man wielding a machete and yelling “Allahu Akbar!”.
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A machete-wielding man injured two police officers in a Belgian suburb before being shot and killed by police on Saturday, authorities said.
During the attack, the assailant reportedly shouted out “Allahu Akbar”, or “God is greatest”, before he was shot by a third officer, Reuters reported.
The attack took place around 4 p.m. local time near the main police station in Charleroi.
The extent of the officers’ injuries weren’t immediately available.
Interior Minister Jan Jambon called it a “vile act” in a tweet and expressed his support for the police officers, their families and their colleagues.
The prime minister has cut short his vacation in the south of France and will return to Belgium for a meeting Sunday of the National Security Council.
The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.
“Thoughts go with the victims, their relatives and police officers”, Michel wrote.
Separately on July 30, Belgian authorities charged a 33-year-old man, identified as Nourredine H., with attempting to commit “terrorist murder” and “taking part in the activities of a terrorist organisation”.
Both of the injured officers were women, and one is more seriously wounded than the other, the BBC reports.
The police have established a security perimeter around the site of the attack. “We are following the situation closely”. The attack occurred in front of Charleroi police station.
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The Belgian capital has been on high alert after terror attacks killed 31 people in March.
