Terror investigation launched after stabbing attacks near magazine's former offices in Paris

French terrorism authorities are investigating a knife attack that wounded two journalists near the former offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Rue Nicolas Appert, in the 11th arrondissement, near the Richard Lenoir Metro station, at around 11.40am local time yesterday.

Prime Minister Jean Castex, who rushed to the scene, said two people, who work for documentary film company Premieres Lignes, were attacked randomly while they were having a cigarette break.

One witness told Europe 1 radio: "I was in my office. I heard screams in the road. I looked out of the window and saw a woman who was lying on the floor and had taken a whack in the face from what was possibly a machete."

Kader Alfa, another witness, told Associated Press: "I saw a guy that was in his 30s or 40s with an axe in his hand who was walking behind a victim covered in blood…I can't tell you how many victims there was, I just saw one."

He said: "It's somebody who was in the road with a meat cleaver who attacked them in front of our offices. It was chilling."

Mr Castex said the main attacker had been arrested, a second person was in custody and the victims' injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

"This attack happened in a symbolic place at the same time as the trial of the terrible attacks on Charlie Hebdo," he added.

He promised the government's "unfailing attachment to freedom of the press, and its determination to fight terrorism".

A blade found at the scene was described by police sources as a machete or a meat cleaver.

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