Man chanting 'Allahu akbar' rams car into mosque in eastern France

A man shouting 'Allahu akbar' rammed his car into a mosque east of France late on Saturday.
2 min read
22 September, 2019
French police are investigating the attack [Getty]
A car rammed into a mosque in an eastern French city late on Saturday, in what has been described as a deliberate attack.

The attack took place in Colmar, where damage to the entrance of the mosque was reported by local media.

The driver first broke down the gate and doorway of the mosque before fiercely hitting a wall of the building. The wall was damaged but no one was injured, according to authorities.

The driver of the car was taken to a hospital with a stab wound to his neck after committing the attack, though it is unclear how he sustained those injuries.

Witnesses say he shouted “Allahu akbar” - Arabic for God is greater - before ramming the car into the place of worship.

An investigation was launched into the attack to decipher whether the ramming was an Islamophobic incident or a suicide attempt.

French police later said the man, identified by the police as Yacine K was known for his violence and driving without a license.

After the attack the prosecutor of the Republic of Colmar, Catherine Sorita-Minard, said the man has been hospitalised and will undergo surgery for his stab wounds.

"We will know more about her motives at that time," she said, confirming that there was no other wounded than himself despite the presence of "a few people in the mosque "when he had hit the enclosure.

She added the investigation on the incident is pending.

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