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A knife-wielding attacker was shot dead outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade shortly after midnight Wednesday after attacking a Serbian security officer guarding the diplomatic mission, prompting authorities to raise the country's terror threat level to its highest setting.
The assailant, a minor whose identity has not been established, attacked a member of Serbia's Gendarmerie with two knives, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic reported in a statement released by the Interior Ministry.
The officer shot and killed the attacker in self-defense but sustained a minor injury, including a cut to his face from one of the knives used in the assault.
Dacic ordered the terror threat level raised to its highest possible setting, known as the red level, following the attack on Serbian territory.
The measure brings increased police patrols and tighter security at locations considered particularly sensitive, including critical infrastructure and sites where large numbers of people gather.
Authorities suspect the attacker was from the Serbian city of Sabac, although his identity had yet to be confirmed.
Dacic also disclosed that security services had been monitoring the suspect and that he was known to support the terrorist group Daesh.
According to the minister, the suspect's Instagram profile featured a black flag and the group's symbols. Authorities have not released further details about the alleged links or the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Dacic said he visited the injured officer alongside Police Director Gen. Dragan Vasiljevic. The officer was in good condition and expected to be discharged from the hospital later Wednesday.
The investigation remains underway as Serbian authorities work to establish the attacker's identity and determine the full circumstances of the incident.
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