In Belgrade, near the Israeli embassy, a teenager armed with two knives shouted "Allahu Akbar" and attacked a gendarmerie officer guarding the facility across from the embassy. The guard resisted and killed the attacker, sustaining minor injuries himself.
Interior Minister Ivica Dačić confirmed the attack and stated that it occurred on the night of October 28, 15 minutes after midnight. According to him, security services had been tracking the attacker, and available data indicates he was an Islamic State supporter.
Authorities have declared a "red" level of terrorist threat in the country, which means heightened police surveillance across the entire country.
The attack occurred just 15 minutes after midnight, and it is precisely this timing that makes the incident more noteworthy than it appears at first glance. At such moments, the security of embassies and foreign representations is usually at its strictest, and the guard's rapid response prevented the situation from escalating into a greater tragedy.
Also important is how the authorities presented the incident. The declaration of the "red" level means that Serbia views this incident not as an isolated crime but as a serious terrorist threat. That, in turn, means intensified checks and greater pressure on the daily lives of ordinary citizens.
The information that the attacker was an Islamic State supporter has not yet received official confirmation, and this is where the main unknown remains: whether this was an isolated act or part of some network. The answer will determine how long the "red" level stays in place.
