Pakistan

Islamabad, October 24, 2026. On Friday, October 23, in the morning, a man fired an automatic weapon from his vehicle at a gas station, a medical center, and a children's playground in Trappes, then headed towards La Verrière, according to Geo News. One person was killed and five others were injured, including a 12-year-old girl who was hit eight times, according to BFM, cited by ARY News and Business Recorder. The initial reports, taken up by ARY from Reuters, reported one dead and four injured.

The suspect, a 39-year-old man identified in the French press as Kevin T., was arrested on the N10; a close family member was also placed in custody, according to Geo. The Pakistani press particularly retains Emmanuel Macron's phrase, who spoke of a "turning point": "the first time we have had a terrorist act that was planned to kill our compatriots, our children, based on the color of their skin or their religion". Daily Times and ARY add that the shooter would have chosen not to target certain people because of their skin color or European appearance.

The racial and religious dimension is at the center of the accounts. Geo quotes the mayor of Trappes, Ali Rabeh, who judges the attack "objectively racist, probably Islamophobic" and specifies that the deceased victim was of African origin and that a seriously injured person was of North African origin. The mother of the girl confided to RTL that her daughter had to be operated on and wondered if her headscarf had made her a target: "How could anyone do this to a child?" Daily Times emphasizes that the population of the neighborhood is diverse and that local elected officials are calling for a public condemnation.

On the judicial level, the three media outlets note that the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) has taken over the investigation; ARY recalls that this referral allows for heavier sentences and broader investigative powers, including for violence inspired by far-right ideas. Geo mentions the aggravating circumstance of belonging, real or supposed, to a race, ethnicity, nation, or religion. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had announced on X the total mobilization of the security forces.

Reuters, taken up by ARY and Business Recorder, puts the drama into a moment of tension: national demonstrations that turned violent on October 17, others planned for this weekend, and far-right officials who blame looting and degradation on immigration.