Knife attack outside Israeli Embassy in Belgrade leaves assailant dead, guard wounded

Serbian police reported on Wednesday that an unidentified assailant attacked a guard with knives outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade shortly after midnight. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said police were treating the incident as a "terrorist attack" and had raised the terror threat to the highest level and increased police presence at key locations. Dacic stated that "a minor, so far unidentified … shouting Allahu Akbar, attacked the member of Gendarmerie and attacked him with two knives." He added that the police officer "liquidated" the assailant in "self-defense" and was lightly wounded, according to ABC News. Dacic also said Serbia's security agencies had been monitoring the attacker, who he described as a supporter of the Islamic State group, noting that "he kept the black flag in support of the Islamic State on his Instagram" account. The incident occurred outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade, and the assailant was killed by police. The guard sustained light injuries. According to Mehr News, the report by ABC News added that the attacker was a minor and that the police officer acted in self-defense.