Belgian police attacked with machete in Charleroi

Two female police officers have been injured by a machete-wielding assailant in the Belgian city of Charleroi.

The attacker was shot and wounded, Charleroi police said on Twitter.
The assailant is said to have shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great" in Arabic) during the assault outside the city`s main police station.

Charleroi was used as a base by some of the jihadists involved in the attacks on Paris in November 2015 and Brussels last March.
The area around the police station has been sealed off.

One of the injured police officers is said to be seriously injured.
The attacker is reported to be in a serious condition after being shot.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel condemned the attack.

"My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the police. We are following the situation closely," he added.