Serbia Declares Red Alert After Officer Kills Suspect at Israeli Embassy
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated the minor attacker was an ISIS supporter from Sabac who had been under prior surveillance.
By Anthony Hoffmann ·
Serbian authorities have elevated the national terrorism threat level to the highest category following a fatal shooting at the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic announced the red alert status on Wednesday, October 28. He explained that the new designation requires stricter security checks and a heavier police presence at infrastructure sites and areas with large crowds.
The incident occurred overnight into Wednesday. A police officer assigned to guard the embassy engaged a suspect wielding a knife. Dacic said the officer sustained slight injuries during the assault. The guard then shot and killed the attacker, a move the minister characterized as self-defense.
Dacic identified the assailant as a minor from the town of Sabac in western Serbia. The minister stated that security agencies had already monitored the individual as a supporter of the Islamic State. According to Dacic, the suspect’s Instagram account featured a black flag associated with the organization.
The minister reported that the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” while confronting the officer. Israel’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed the event as an attempted terrorist attack near its diplomatic premises. The ministry stated that no Israeli staff members were injured. Officials said the incident is currently under investigation.
The embassy was the site of a similar incident in June 2024. During that attack, a 25-year-old man who had converted to Islam used a crossbow to seriously wound a Serbian police guard. Police officers shot and killed that attacker as well. Dacic noted that the guard involved in the current incident sustained only slight injuries, unlike the serious wounds suffered by the officer in the 2024 event.
The current attack took place shortly after a key early parliamentary election in Serbia. It also happened one day after Israel held its own parliamentary vote. The outcome of the Israeli election was not yet clear at the time of the embassy incident.
Source: Deutsche Welle
