Belgian police attacker shot and killed in Charleroi

A man shot by police after he attacked two officers with a machete in the Belgian city of Charleroi has died.

The women officers' injuries are not life-threatening. The assailant is said to have shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great" in Arabic) during the assault outside the city's main police station.

Police have sealed off the area

Charleroi was used as a base by some of the jihadists involved in the attacks on Paris in November 2015 and Brussels earlier this year.
Belgium has been on edge since suicide bombers attacked an airport terminal and a metro station in the Belgian capital on 22 March, killing 32 people and injuring many more.

The Belga news agency said one of the policewomen who was targeted suffered minor injuries, but the other had to receive treatment for serious wounds to her face. Another officer, who was nearby, shot the attacker.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel condemned the attack.

"My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the police. We are following the situation closely," he added.