Soldiers protecting French Jewish center knifed

(JTA) — Three French soldiers protecting a Jewish community center in the southern French city of Nice were attacked by a knife-wielding man.

One soldier was stabbed in his arm and another was cut on his face in the Tuesday afternoon attack, the French news agency AFP reported. The soldiers were on anti-terror patrol outside the JCC, which is located in the center of the city.

Police detained the attacker, but two alleged accomplices fled after the stabbing, according to France 24.

Jewish institutions, mosques and heavily trafficked areas throughout France have been under military protection by more than 10,000 soldiers since last month’s attacks by Islamic extremists, including on a kosher supermarket in Paris, left 17 dead.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said the attacker carried an identity card identifying him as Moussa Coulibaly, the same last name as the kosher supermarket attacker, though it is not known if they are related.