On the morning of October 13, 2023, in Arras, France, tragedy struck the City School Gambetta-Carnot when a teacher lost his life, and another educator, along with a security guard, were severely injured due to a knife attack.
The attacker, identified as Mohammed Mogouchkov, 20, hails from Russia with Chechen roots. Notably, he was a former student of the very same school. Intelligence agencies had been observing him since summer, given concerns about his potential extremist views.
Eyewitness accounts from students present during the assault shed light on the situation. They recounted seeing the young man with two knives, aiming at the teacher, named Dominique Bernard. Despite the peril, Bernard, 57, displayed commendable bravery, placing himself between the attacker and the students and urging the students to evacuate.
Amidst the chaos, some students believed they overheard the assailant saying “Allahu Akbar.” The validity of this claim is currently under police review. Due to the immediate threat, the school was placed on lockdown, resulting in numerous concerned parents rushing to the scene.
Gerald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister, later confirmed that the attacker was taken into custody during a police operation at the school. Later, Mogouchkov’s 16-year-old brother was also arrested. The seriousness of the incident can be gauged from the fact that the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office is now involved, suggesting that the assault might have terror-related motivations.
This unfortunate incident came shortly after President Emmanuel Macron’s appeal to the nation. He highlighted the need for the French community to remain cohesive and not to conflate the Israeli-Palestinian issue with the national context. Interestingly, this event aligns with an announcement by former Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, who encouraged Islamic followers to mark a “day of Jihad” and to participate in rallies.
In response to this grievous incident, relevant authorities have activated a crisis management unit. Support in the form of counseling services is being provided to help the affected students and staff members. Additionally, the public has been urged to act responsibly and refrain from disseminating any graphic images related to the event.
