French police have detained a man accused of trying to run over several soldiers who were jogging near an army base.

The National Police said an individual was taken into custody after an operation at a market square in Grenoble, following the attempted attack in the town of Varces-Allieres-et-Risset around nine miles (15km) away.

Colonel Benoit Brulot said the driver circled the military barracks shouting insults in Arabic at several groups of soldiers.

He added that the man returned later and tried to hit four soldiers with his car before making a quick getaway.

Image: French police have detained a man after the incident in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset

The army spokesman confirmed that none of the soldiers, from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, were injured.


The failed attack comes as security services in the country are on high alert.

Last week an Islamist extremist shot at police returning from jogging in southern France, before taking hostages in a supermarket in Trebes.

The hostage situation claimed four lives, including that of "hero" police officer Arnaud Beltrame.

Image: Soldiers were jogging near the base when they were allegedly targeted

It was the first militant attack since President Emmanuel Macron lifted a state of emergency.

Mr Macron said on Wednesday that France was locked in a fight against "clandestine Islamic fundamentalism", as he paid tribute to Mr Beltrame, who took the place of a hostage in Friday's attack.

Pierre-Yves Sarzaud of the army's public relations unit told BFM TV that Thursday morning's incident appeared to be deliberate.

He explained there was a gap of around 30 minutes between the insults and the driver returning to try and run over soldiers.

Image: French police officer Arnaud Beltrame swapped places with a hostage in Trebes

A source close to the investigation said the driver's motivations remained unclear, but that the incident was being taken seriously.

If confirmed to be a deliberate act, it would not be the first time an assailant has used a vehicle to target members of the security forces in France.

Police shot and arrested a man in August who deliberately rammed his car into soldiers beginning a patrol in Paris.

The driver injured six soldiers.