Marseille Attack Live Updates: What We Know About The Incident At Saint-Charles Station

10_01_Marseille
Marseille Train Station. A knife attack has been reported in the area. Trans World Productions
  • Attack took place early afternoon local time
  • Two women were killed by a knife-wielding assailant at Saint-Charles Station in Marseille
  • The assailant was shot dead by soldiers stationed nearby
  • Incident is being investigated by anti-terror prosecutor
  • Rail operator is asking people to postpone their trips to the city

Update 5.35pm ET

French interior minister Gérard Collomb has taken to Twitter to priase the response of the emergency services to the attack in Marseilles.

"Our military police and sailors-firefighters have had an exemplary response. I told them how we are proud," he wrote.

À #Marseille nos militaires, policiers et marins-pompiers ont eu une réaction exemplaire.
Je leur ai dit combien nous en sommes fiers. pic.twitter.com/G46wugVN3X

— Gérard Collomb (@gerardcollomb) October 1, 2017

Update 5.30pm ET

Media in France have reported that the man responsible for the attack was aged in his 20s and had a police record for petty crime.

Update: 5.15pm ET

According to Amaq, the news agency of the Islamic State group, an Isis militant was responsible for carrying out the attack. French interior minister Gérard Collomb had earlier told The Guardian: "It might be a terrorist act, but at this point we can't say so with certainty, so I prefer to wait and see."

Update: 10.57am ET

French rail company SNCF is asking travellers to "postpone" trips to Marseille if possible, in conjunction with local police, the company said on Twitter.

⚠️ #Marseille: @PrefPolice13 & @SNCF demandent aux voyageurs de reporter leurs voyages à destination & au départ de #SaintCharles

— Groupe SNCF (@GroupeSNCF) October 1, 2017

Update: 10.36 am ET

According to Franceinfo, one police source has described the attacker as being aged 25-30 and "of Maghrebian [Northwest African] descent." This is so far unconfirmed.

According to Le Figaro, the victims were women, one aged 21 and the other older. One woman had her throat cut, and the other was stabbed, according to police sources cited by French media.

Images posted by local media show Saint-Charles station cordoned off and guarded by soldiers

#MARSEILLE Attentat présumé à la gare Saint-Charles de Marseille : deux voyageuses tuées au couteau,… https://t.co/w9ojKBUCI2 (LaProvence) pic.twitter.com/Y6YbmG3Lph

— Marseille Live (@MarseilleLive) October 1, 2017

Update: 09.55 am ET

The incident is now being investigated by France's anti-terror prosecutor, which has opened a probe into the attack.

Christophe Castaner, the French government spokesman, said on Twitter that there was a "total mobilization of the state" to tackle the incident.

Mobilisation totale de l'Etat aux côtés des marseillais. Le Ministre de l'intérieur se rend sur place, nos forces de sécurité poursuivent les opérations de sécurité.

— Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) October 1, 2017

Meanwhile a local lawmaker, Alexandra Louis, tweeted that "France is strong" and "Marseille resilient."

La France est forte, Marseille résiliente : fermeté et justice face à cette indigne attaque Gare Saint-Charles

— Alexandra Louis (@ALouisDeputee13) October 1, 2017

Regional politicians are also expected to attend the scene during the afternoon.

Update: 09.30 am ET

French media are reporting that two people were killed in the attack, and that the knife-wielding man shouted "Allah Ackbar" in the course of the incident.

The man was also killed, by soldiers deployed as part of Operation Sentinel, the military programme that assigns troops to guard busy public places such as schools, tourist sites and stations.

Images posted on social media and taken inside the station showed people evacuating.

Gare #Marseille saint Charles évacuée, hommes en armes (assault), excitation... Bel accueil au retour à Massilia ! #sncf #attentat pic.twitter.com/bvLmVTtfWg

— Gratz Méthylène (@gratzmethylene) October 1, 2017

First update

French Police have warned people to stay clear of the main train station in Marseille, amid reports of a knife attacker shot dead by police.

Local authorities said that people should avoid the area while they carried out an operation.

Two people died in the incident, one of them the knife-wielding suspect, Franceinfo reported.

Interior minister Gerard Collomb said on Twitter he was heading to the scene.

#Marseille : après l’attaque perpétrée à proximité de la gare Saint Charles, je me rends immédiatement sur les lieux.

— Gérard Collomb (@gerardcollomb) October 1, 2017

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