The city of Rouen in France was struck by a disturbing incident as French police shot and killed an armed man who had set fire to the city's synagogue. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, along with local officials, confirmed the incident on Friday.
The attack took place in central Rouen, located approximately 130 kilometers (80.78 miles) northwest of Paris, in the early hours of Friday morning. Details regarding the attacker's identity and motive remained unclear, although reports indicated that he was armed with a knife and iron bar.
France, which is set to host the Olympic Summer Games in just two months, has recently heightened its alert status to the highest level amidst a complex geopolitical climate in the Middle East and Europe's eastern flank.
Elie Korchia, the president of France's Consistoire Central Jewish worshippers body, commended the police for preventing what could have been another anti-Semitic tragedy.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, and the fire at the synagogue was brought under control, according to a Rouen city hall official. Meanwhile, the mayor of Rouen expressed the city's shock and distress over the incident.
This unfortunate event brings back memories of a previous attack in Rouen in 2016, when a priest was killed during a service in the town of Saint-‰tienne-du-Rouvray, located in the southern part of Rouen's urban area. That attack was later claimed by the Islamic State, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by extremism.
