One knife-wielding minor killed outside Israeli Embassy in Belgrade
Serbia raised its terror threat level to the maximum after a guard was injured during an attack just hours after a landmark election.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
One young assailant armed with two knives was shot and killed just after midnight on Wednesday outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. The attack forced Interior Minister Ivica Dacic to declare the incident a terrorist act and raise the national terror threat level to its highest setting. Police immediately increased their presence at major sites across the capital.
Dacic identified the attacker as a minor from the western town of Sabac. He stated that the young man shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the assault. The target was a member of the Gendarmerie, an elite unit responsible for guarding the embassy. The officer sustained minor facial wounds before killing the suspect in self-defense. Security agencies had been monitoring the individual, who supported the Islamic State group.
Dacic noted that the attacker kept a black flag symbolizing the Islamic State on his Instagram account. Police photos taken at the scene showed the guard's booth surrounded by tape. Officers in full tactical gear secured the perimeter near the embassy. The location sits in an upscale district close to the U.S. Embassy, where guards are equipped with automatic weapons.
The timing of the attack coincides with a period of political flux in Serbia. The country held early parliamentary elections on Sunday, where former President Aleksandar Vucic lost to a youth-led movement after nearly two years of protests. Although Vucic lost the vote, his allies still control the police force because a new government has not yet been formed. Israel held its own parliamentary vote on Tuesday, with exit polls indicating no clear winner.
This incident follows a similar event in June 2024, when a person using a crossbow wounded a Serbian police officer at the same location. The officer shot and killed that suspect as well. Serbia has historically maintained close diplomatic ties with Israel. The embassy remains guarded by the same elite unit that responded to the Wednesday attack. No formal government transition has taken place yet, leaving the current security apparatus in charge.
Source: KPRC-TV
