Knife Attack On French Troops At Jewish Centre

Three French soldiers have been attacked by a man armed with a

knife outside a Jewish centre in the southern city of Nice.

The troops had been on an anti-terror patrol at the time of the attack, in which two of the servicemen were injured.

A police official said the attacker pulled a knife at least 20cm (8 ins) long out of a bag and set upon the soldiers.

The knifeman was detained by riot police following the attack near the Galeries Lafayette department store.

The attacker, aged about 30, had a record of theft and violence, the official said.

France has been on high alert since the attacks in Paris by three Islamic extremists that left 20 people dead, including the gunmen.

More than 10,000 soldiers have been deployed around the country to protect sensitive locations, including major shopping areas, synagogues, mosques and transport hubs.