France has faced yet another attack in which 3 people were killed, including a woman who was beheaded. This happened right after the recent event in which a teacher was beheaded for showing the photo of the Islamic Prophet to his students.
The attack has been widely hailed as a terrorist attack, and the assailant is already detained.
This is what we know about the attacker
The attack took place inside the Notre Dame Basilica church in the French city of Nice where two men and a woman were killed.
According to some unconfirmed reports, the attacker kept shouting “Allahu Akbar” even after he was shot, arrested, and being treated.
His name is Brahim, and the police believe that he was acting alone and didn’t have any ties or affiliations with any terrorist groups.
About the three people who died
Witnesses report that they saw a man with a knife enter the church where he killed three people and wounded many others. One woman was even decapitated.
According to police sources, among the victims is a 70-year old woman who was “partially beheaded” inside the church. A man stabbed to death inside the building was the church sexton. The third victim, a woman aged around 40, was stabbed in the church but managed to escape to a nearby bar where she died shortly afterwards.
Why did he kill these people?
It is not known what was the motive behind this attack. Some people speculate that this could be a reaction to teacher Samuel Paty showing pictures of the Islamic Prophet to his students. Samuel Paty was beheaded by a Chechen man a few days ago. But French people protested by showing even more pictures of Mohammad, and it is suspected that the attacker Brahim might have been working as a reaction to that.
After Paty’s killing, many French officials and citizens have solidarity with the fallen teacher by showing pictures at protests.
Meanwhile, many other suspects are arrested all over the nation.
What do the French Muslims say?
France’s Council for the Muslim Faith, CNFM, has condemned the attack:
“As a sign of mourning and solidarity for the victims and their families, I call on all Muslims of France to cancel all festivities for Mawlid (celebrating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed).”
Featured Image Courtesy: Macrile