French Soldier Stabbed While Patrolling Paris Ahead of the 2024 Olympics

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin says a suspect has been arrested, but the motivation for the attack is unclear.

French soldiers secure the area after a man with a knife wounded several people at the Gare de Lyon rail station in Paris, France, on Feb. 3, 2024. Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

A French soldier was stabbed outside a Paris train station only 11 days before millions of visitors descend on the city for the 2024 Olympics. The soldier’s injuries are not life-threatening and a suspect was arrested in connection with the assault, officials said.

According to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, the unidentified soldier was stabbed patrolling the Gare de l'Est station in Paris as part of his regular duties.

Mr. Darmanin said in a post on social media platform X on July 15 that the soldier is expected to survive the attack, and confirmed a suspect was arrested at the scene.

“A soldier from Operation Sentinelle was stabbed while patrolling the Gare de l'Est station in Paris,” Mr. Darmanin said. “His life is not in danger, and the assailant was arrested.”

According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, the soldier has a shoulder blade injury, but the injury is not life-threatening. Authorities do not suspect terrorism as a motive for now, according to national counterterrorism officials.

Opération Sentinelle is an ongoing French military operation to protect the country from extremism and terrorism. Over 10,000 soldiers and 4,700 police have been on deployment since a string of January 2015 Islamic extremist attacks killed 20 people and wounded 22. Soldiers in the Sentinelle force have been the target of several violent attacks in the past. 

Motive Not Yet Known

In a separate post on X, Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed an on-duty soldier was attacked.

“Thoughts of the soldier injured this evening at the Gare de l'Est, deployed as part of Operation Sentinel,” he said. “Support and recognition for our armed forces which contribute more than ever to ensuring the security of the French.”

The prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into possible motives for the attack. The alleged assailant’s identity is being confirmed before officials release the information to the public.

In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, which run from July 26 to Aug. 11, at least 30,000 police officers have been on regular patrol. About 18,000 military personnel are also on the ground, operating out of a camp on the edge of Paris.

An estimated 15.3 million visitors are expected to visit Paris and its surrounding areas during the Olympics. The vast majority are expected to be from France, while the city will welcome an estimated 1.9 million international travelers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.