A man in southeastern France was arrested on Saturday morning on suspicion of killing at least two people in a frenzied knife attack.
The man, 33, in the town of Romans-sur-Isere in the Drome region, was arrested at around 11am on suspicion of stabbing at least nine people that morning, local media said.
He is reported to be a Sudanese refugee. Counter-terrorism prosecutors have launched an investigation into the "murder linked to a terrorist enterprise" after the rampage in a string of shops in the riverside town with a population of about 35,000.
Two people were confirmed dead from the attack and there were a further seven people injured before emergency services arrived at the scene. One of the wounded is in critical condition in hospital.
The mayor of Romans-sur-Isere Marie-Helene Thoraval said that the attack took place on Saturday morning when people were queuing up outside a bakery to get food.
Although the motive of the attack is not yet clear, French counterterrorism police are investigating the incident.
But witnesses told local media that the suspect, a Sudanese national who had been granted asylum in France, allegedly shouted "Allahou Akbar" while rushing on his victims.
French President Emmanuel Macron promised on Saturday to shine light on "this odious act".
"My thoughts are with the victims of the Romans-sur-Isere attack - the injured, their families," he tweeted.
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner visisted the town today to pay respect for the victims.
Like many European countries, France is in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The country is in its third week of social isolation, and people are only allowed to leave their house to buy essential goods and do excercise.
