Teacher killed in knife attack in school in northern France

A teacher was killed in a knife attack in a school in France's northern city of Arras on Friday, while another teacher and the school's security guard were injured, the latter seriously, police said.

Regional authorities said the attacker had been arrested.

Police could not confirm local media reports that the assailant had shouted “Allah u Akbar”.

Citing a police source, BFM TV reported the attacker was about 20 years old and could have been a former pupil. It said the attacker's brother was also arrested.

BFM TV said the person killed was a French language teacher, while a sports teacher was stabbed and injured.

Pupils were confined to their classroom, it said.

President Emmanuel Macron was heading to Arras, his office said.

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin said a police operation was under way in a school, without giving further details.

French police say nothing points to connection between school attack and Israel conflict

Nothing so far points to a potential link between the attack on a school in northern France on Friday morning and the current situation in Israel, a police official told Reuters.

France's anti-terrorism prosecution office earlier said it would start an investigation after an attack at a school in the town of Arras killed at least one person.