Three people were killed when a man with a knife attacked people in the Roman Catholic Basilica of Notre Dame in the center of Nice.

This data was confirmed by the mayor of the city Christian Estrosi.

On Thursday, in French Nice, an unknown person broke into the basilica with a knife and attacked the parishioners.

Shortly after the tragedy, the media reported two dead, later it became known about the third victim.

Several more people were injured.

The alleged attacker was arrested and taken to hospital with a gunshot wound.

Mayor Estrosi said the attack was carried out by a "radicalized Muslim" and it was a terrorist attack.

According to him, one of the victims was beheaded.

“The one who made the attack did not stop repeating 'Allahu Akbar',” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.

The French Council of Islamic Faith (CFCM) has condemned the attack by an unknown person with a knife in Nice, follows from the organization's Twitter account.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack that took place near the Notre Dame Basilica in Nice,” the CFCM said in a statement.

As a sign of sorrow and solidarity with the victims of the tragedy, the council called on Muslims to cancel the celebrations within the framework of Mawlid, the celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

According to the order of the Mayor of Nice, all churches in the city are closed.

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"I ordered to maintain contact with the clergy and other religious leaders of our city, so that all the churches in the city would be monitored and closed, like other places of worship," TASS quotes him.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the city.

Earlier it was reported that he will visit a crisis center organized by the Ministry of the Interior after an attack on a church in Nice.

Also, French Prime Minister Jean Castex is to arrive there.

"The government's response will be firm, ruthless and immediate," Kasteks later said.

In addition, the authorities introduced the Vigipirate counterterrorism plan across France.

Following the events in Nice, President Emmanuel Macron will convene the Security Council, Casteks said.

We add that the media in France also reported on the second attack in a day.

According to preliminary data, a man with a knife attacked the police in the French commune of Avignon, opened fire on him.

The attacker died from his injuries.

In addition, according to media reports, another attack was prevented in Lyon.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov called the Nice attack a horrific tragedy.

It soon became known that Vladimir Putin had sent a telegram to Emmanuel Macron, in which he expressed deep condolences over the tragic consequences of the terrorist attacks.

“Particular indignation is caused by the cynical and cruel crime committed within the walls of the church.

We have once again made sure that the concept of human morality is absolutely alien to terrorists.

It is obvious that the fight against international terror requires a real pooling of efforts by the entire world community, ”the Kremlin press service quotes an excerpt from the telegram.

The Russian President also confirmed his readiness to cooperate in all areas of counter-terrorism activities with French and other foreign partners.

Along with this, the head of state noted that the Russians share the anger and grief of the people of France.

Recall that on October 16 in the suburb of Paris Evreux, a teacher was murdered.

According to preliminary data, the man was attacked by a man armed with a knife, shouting Islamist slogans, who killed and beheaded the victim.

According to the French media, after the murder, the offender tried to escape, but he was noticed by the special forces.

The police arrived at the scene and shot the attacker.

According to French media reports, the deceased teacher, giving students a lecture on freedom of speech, showed them cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

After that, according to unconfirmed reports, threats began to come to him.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident a terrorist attack.

“One of our fellow citizens was killed today because he taught, because he taught students freedom of speech, freedom to believe and not to believe,” Le Monde quotes him.

Subsequently, several people were detained in this case.

Seven suspects in the case were later charged.

Five of them were taken into custody, two more minors are under judicial supervision.