Saudi authorities arrest one for alleged knife attack at French consulate in Jeddah

Hours after France church attack, Saudi police arrested a man outside French Consulate in Jeddah for allegedly stabbing guard with a sharp tool. According to Saudi state media, stabbing attack, which took place on Thursday, October 29, resulted in mir injuries and guard was moved to a hospital. incident in Saudi Arabia comes amid heightened anti-France sentiment across Muslim world and terrorist attacks in two French cities. 

French embassy in Saudi Arabia condemned attack and called it "flagrant". In a statement, embassy in Riyadh said that French Consulate general Jeddah was subjected to a knife stabbing incident targeting security guard. officials said that Saudi security forces immediately arrested perpetrator and furr informed that security guard’s health condition remains stable. 

While condemning "vicious attack" against a diplomatic facility, officials said that that embassy affirms its full support for victim and expresses its confidence in Saudi authorities to uncover circumstances of accident and ensure security of French facilities and community in Kingdom. 

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Muslim nations call for boycott 

incident comes after French President Emmanuel Macron vigorously defended publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on grounds of free speech. Several leaders of Muslim-majority nations and clerical establishments in several countries have called for a boycott of France products. Macron has drawn fire from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Libya’s UN-recognised Government of National Accord has also ‘firmly condemned’ his comments. 

Anti-French sentiment has been high across many Muslim countries. Tensions have also been stoked by several incidents in past month, including re-publication of Charlie Hebdo cartoons. Moreover, tensions have sharply increased after a man of Chechen origin beheaded a French teacher, who had to show Muhammad drawings to classroom. 

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