June 30th 2024.
On Saturday, a Serbian police officer who was guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade was wounded by an attacker who used a crossbow. According to the Interior Ministry of Serbia, the officer was immediately rushed to the hospital where he unfortunately passed away from his injuries after responding by fatally shooting the assailant.
Both Serbian and Israeli officials have stated that initial evidence suggests this was an act of terrorism. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic released a statement explaining that the attacker fired a bolt at the officer, hitting him in the neck. The officer then acted in self-defense by using his weapon to shoot the attacker, who ultimately died from his injuries. The officer was conscious during transportation to the hospital and underwent surgery to remove the bolt from his neck. Thankfully, he is now in stable condition.
In response to the attack, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic visited the wounded officer in the hospital and promised to take strong action against "terrorists". He assured the public that they are actively searching for those responsible and will show no mercy towards terrorism in Serbia.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement confirming the attempted terrorist attack near their embassy in Belgrade. They reassured that no embassy employees were injured and the embassy remains closed for security reasons. Israel's ambassador to Belgrade, Yahel Vilan, expressed shock at the incident and praised the bravery of the Serbian police officer who prevented the attack. He also expressed confidence in the investigation and urged for the preservation of Serbia as a safe country.
Minister Dacic stated that an investigation is ongoing, but all signs point to terrorism as the motive. He identified the attacker as a 25-year-old Serb who had recently converted to Islam. Police are also looking into his possible connections to foreign terrorist groups, as another person was arrested near the scene of the shooting.
As a precautionary measure, the security alert has been raised in Belgrade, including for foreign embassies and government buildings, as well as public places such as shopping malls. The Israeli Embassy, which is located near the US Embassy, is guarded by an elite police unit armed with automatic weapons.
Despite tensions in the region, Serbia has maintained strong relations with Israel. However, this incident has raised concerns and reminded everyone of the ongoing threat of terrorism. As authorities continue to investigate, the public is urged to stay vigilant.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]