It happened near a church, and the mayor of niece has said that everything suggests it was a terrorist attack.

Suspect who witnesses say tried to behead one of his victims, was shot by police and is now being treated in hospital.

President Macron is on his way to the city.

Paul Adams has this report.

Is that going to work with them?

Chaos and terror in the heart of another French city?

Yeah.

Streets closed, swarming with police and paramedics stunned aftermath of France's latest horrific attack.

It took place around nine in the morning in the city's neo Gothic Basilica of Notre Damme, shouting Allahu Akbar.

The attacker stabbed three people, including the caretaker.

One of the victims is thought to have bean beheaded.

Another, a woman fled to a nearby cafe before dying.

We heard many people's shouting in the street, so we leave way so by the windows that there were many, many, many Polish mint coming.

And then we're gang shops, many gang shops and more and more policemen.

The city's mayor called for unity but said it was clear this was terrorism.

Yes, niece, perhaps more than any other place in France today, is paying far too heavy a price by once again being a victim off Islamic fascism.

There is no doubt about the meaning of this act, given that the perpetrator did not stop repeating Allah Akbar in front of us while he was receiving medical treatment.

Emitted the silence in Paris.

A minute's silence in the National Assembly as word of events in Nice began to emerge.

President Macron is traveling to niece, with the whole country now entering a new coronavirus locked down, he has two major crises on his hands.

France is still in shock after the murder of middle school teacher Samuel Patty.

Most French citizens proudly defending their country's secular values for nice memories.

Two of 2016 when 86 people celebrating Bastille Day were killed by a Tunisian immigrant driving a truck.

But around the Muslim world, there's anger at what some describe as President Macron's anti Islam agenda.

Pakistan's prime Minister, Imran Khan, has accused the French president of encouraging Islamophobia.

Turkey's president Erdogan has urged Turks to boycott French goods and said Monsieur Macron needed a mental health check against this heated international backdrop on with an investigation in Nice just beginning reports of violence.

Elsewhere in another southern city Avenue or the police shot dead a suspected Islamist who was threatening passes by and in Saudi Arabia, a guard at the French consulate in Jeddah was attacked.

The guard was wounded on the assailant taken into custody.

Paul Adams BBC News.

We conjoined Hugh Scofield in Paris What is the latest you're hearing on these horrific events in these here?

Well, the latest is that the president Macron has arrived at the scene and is talking right now to the mayor at the basilica and talking to police officers as well.

And he may or may not have a few words for the press coming up shortly.

Meanwhile, of course, the investigation is underway and it'll seek to establish a the identity of this attacker.

We still don't know who it is on B.

Did he have any accomplices?

Was he in any way influenced by this climate?

That Paul Adams was referring to?

The in his report is climate of menace and threat against France, which has certainly grown over the last few weeks.

The context is all here.

It's very important.

It is a time in which France definitely feels itself in the firing line from extremist groups in the Middle East.

Certainly online.

Their calls for attacks against France have Bean stepped up in recent weeks in the wake of the tri ALS off related to the Charlie Hebdo massacre on the republication by Chinese radio off the cartoons and then the killing, of course two weeks ago of the the teacher, Samuel Patty Onder.

The restatement, then by President macron off France's belief and the fact that it will stand by its secular values.

That's been spun, the French would say, twisted by people in the Middle East, many in the Middle East into an, uh into being interpreted as a kind of anti Islamic position by the by, the by the French authorities, with Macron being accused of, you know, enacting racist, even 1930 style fascist actions against against Muslims in France.

And it's in that context.

The government here is very aware that this attack has taken place.

All right, you many thanks.