“A serious public security incident is under way in Paris in the Louvre area. Give way to security forces and emergency services,” the Interior Ministry said in a tweet.
Paris police chief Michel Cadot said attacker yelled “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for God is Great, before assailing the soldier, who was lightly injured. The soldier fired five rounds at the man, who was severely injured.
The museum was put on lockdown and transportation suspended in the vicinity of the museum, located in the heart of the French capital.
Soldiers carrying automatic weapons are deployed around the capital and other cities in France in the wake of a string of terror and knife attacks in the country by Islamic militants.
More to come…
cw/ks