Man drives car at troops protecting mosque in southern France

French police officers and soldiers stand near a red car in front of the mosque of Valence after a soldier guarding the mosque shot and wounded a driver who rammed him with a car.

Paris - The driver tried twice to hit the soldiers and they shot at him on his second attempt.

Read more...

By Reuters

Published: Fri 1 Jan 2016, 8:34 PM

Last updated: Fri 1 Jan 2016, 10:40 PM

A soldier and an elderly Muslim man were slightly injured when a man tried to run his car into troops protecting a mosque in Valence in southern France on Friday, mayor Nicolas Daragon told the iTELE news channel.
The driver was also injured when the soldiers shot at him, Daragon said. The man was taken to hospital, and the mayor said his identity, motives and psychiatric state were not yet known.
The 72-year-old worshipper was hit in the calf by a stray bullet shot by the soldiers, he said.
"The four soldiers were in front of the mosque, a moderate, quiet mosque, in between two prayers, at a time when many worshippers arrived," Daragon said. "A car drove at them."
The driver tried twice to hit the soldiers and they shot at him on his second attempt, he said.
France has been on high alert since Daesh militants killed 130 people in shootings and suicide bombings in Paris on November 13.

Reuters

Published: Fri 1 Jan 2016, 8:34 PM

Last updated: Fri 1 Jan 2016, 10:40 PM

Recommended for you