Soldier Stabbed Near Barracks: Attacker Arrested

A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after stabbing a soldier near a barracks in Gillingham, southeast England. The soldier, in his 40s, was seriously injured and airlifted to a hospital. The attacker fled but was apprehended within half an hour. The motive remains unknown.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a soldier was stabbed and seriously injured near a barracks in southeast England, police confirmed Wednesday.

The British Army reported that the victim, a man in his 40s, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital. The motive for the attack is currently unknown.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his shock and dismay via social network X, extending his thoughts to the soldier, his family, and the Armed Forces community. Defence Secretary John Healey echoed these sentiments, labeling the attack as 'shocking.' Kent Police received reports of the assault in Gillingham, approximately 30 miles southeast of London, on Tuesday evening.

Witnesses stated that the attacker, masked and on a moped, assaulted the soldier before fleeing. The suspect was arrested within half an hour and identified only as a 24-year-old local man. According to British police policy, suspects are not named until formally charged. The incident occurred near Brompton Barracks, home to the British Army's 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment. On Wednesday, police cordoned off the treelined road where the attack took place with cars and crime scene tape.

The Army has requested privacy for the soldier and his family during this difficult time and vowed to cooperate fully with Kent Police in the ongoing investigation. While attacks on soldiers in Britain are rare, this incident brings back memories of the 2013 murder of soldier Lee Rigby by two men inspired by al-Qaida.

(With inputs from agencies.)