France opens terrorism probe after knife attack in southeast

ROMAN-SUR-ISÉRE, FRANCE — French authorities have launched a terrorism probe after a knife attack killed two people and wounded five in the township of Romans-sur-Isère on April 4, Reuters reports.

According to BBC News, the attack began at a tobacconist's shop in the town square.

AFP reports suspect Abdallah Ahmed-Osman, a Sudanese refugee in his 30s, stabbed the owners and a customer.

After that, he attacked several more people in two other stores including a butcher's shop.

Citing the butcher shop's owner, AFP reports Ahmed-Osman seized another knife and stabbed a customer, who died despite the shop owners' efforts to save the victim.

The suspect then allegedly ran outside and attacked people queued up by a bakery.

According to AFP, the police arrested Ahmed-Osman as he knelt in prayer while speaking in Arabic.

The police arrested a second Sudanese managed 28 at Ahmed-Osman's residence and later detained a third, younger Sudanese man who also lived in the household.

Texts with religious connotations were recovered.