BELGRADE, Serbia — An attacker with a crossbow wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade on Saturday, Serbia’s interior ministry said. The officer responded by fatally shooting the assailant.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said in a statement that the attacker fired a bolt at the officer, hitting him in the neck. He said the officer then “used a weapon in self-defense to shoot the attacker, who died as a result of his injuries.”
The policeman was conscious when he was transported to Belgrade’s main emergency hospital, where an operation to remove the bolt from his neck will be performed, the statement added.
A spokesman with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “today there was an attempted terrorist attack in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade.” The spokesman said the embassy is closed and no employee of the embassy was injured.
The identity of the attacker was still being determined. “All the circumstances of the attack and possible motives are being investigated,” Dacic said.
Israel’s Embassy is located not far from the U.S. Embassy in an upscale Belgrade district. It has been guarded by an elite police unit with officers armed with automatic weapons.
Serbia has maintained close relations with Israel during the war in Gaza.
On September 21, 2021, Israel’s embassy in Serbia was the target of a violent attack when an assailant attempted to breach the premises and wounded a police officer before being fatally shot by security forces. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of diplomatic missions in the region.
The attack took place in the capital city of Belgrade, where the Israeli embassy is located. According to reports, the assailant, armed with a knife, attempted to enter the embassy grounds but was stopped by security personnel. In the ensuing confrontation, a police officer was injured before the assailant was shot and killed.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but authorities are investigating the incident as a possible act of terrorism. The Israeli government has condemned the attack and expressed gratitude to the Serbian authorities for their swift response in neutralizing the threat.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threats faced by diplomatic missions around the world. Embassies and consulates are often targets for terrorist attacks and other acts of violence, as they represent the interests of foreign governments on sovereign soil.
In response to the attack, security measures at diplomatic missions in Serbia have been heightened, with increased patrols and surveillance in place to prevent further incidents. The Israeli embassy has also reassured its staff and visitors of their safety and is working closely with local authorities to ensure the security of its premises.
The attack on Israel’s embassy in Serbia highlights the need for continued vigilance and cooperation among nations to combat terrorism and protect diplomatic personnel. It serves as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by those who serve in diplomatic missions around the world and underscores the importance of maintaining strong security measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
