Seven people, including six children, injured in knife attack in France — media reports

At least seven people, including six children, were injured in an attack on Thursday by a man armed with a knife near the southeastern French town of Annecy, Azernews reports, citing Agence-France-Presse.

The attack took place at about 9:45 a.m. local time (10:45 a.m. Moscow time) in a park near Lake Annecy. Most of the victims are children around the age of three, presumably from the local kindergarten. According to AFP, three victims are in serious condition and have been rushed to the hospital by medevac helicopters. Reuters, however, reports that nine people were injured in the attack, including eight children. BFM, one of France's largest news channels, reported five casualties, including four children. There is no official information on casualties yet.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that the attacker had been arrested. "Several people, including children, were injured by a person armed with a knife in a square in Annecy. The person was arrested thanks to the rapid intervention of the police," France’s top cop said on Twitter.

According to AFP, the assailant is a Syrian asylum seeker born in 1991. He has never been listed in databases of dangerous criminals and supporters of radical movements. The police had to resort to using firearms in subduing and arresting the attacker, who was wounded in the process.