Officer stabbed and attacker shot near Brussels police station

A police officer was stabbed in a pre-dawn attack in central Brussels today.

The attacker was then shot and wounded by another officer.

The policeman was stabbed outside the city’s main police station in Rue du Marché au Charbon at about 5.30am local time, a police spokeswoman said.

Both he and the assailant were taken to hospital but neither sustained life-threatening injuries.

Belgian newspaper DH cited unnamed sources as saying the attacker shouted “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest).

But the spokeswoman said: “It is too early to say now what the motive was. The investigation is under way.”

It came during a visit by French president Emmanuel Macron.

Belgium has been on alert since suicide bombers killed 32 at Brussels airport and on the city’s metro in 2016, although the threat level was reduced in January.