Tribute to the 'Heroic Police Officer' Killed During Attack in Southern France

French citizens have paid tribute to the police officer killed during a hostage situation in a terrorist attack in southern France. The President of France referred to him as a 'hero,' and several other European figures have praised him as well. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, described Colonel Arnaud Beltrame on April 4 as 'worthy of the respect and admiration of all the people of France.' Colonel Beltrame voluntarily exchanged places with a hostage during the hostage situation at a supermarket in the town of Trebes, which was carried out by an individual claiming to be a 'soldier of ISIS.' Three people were killed during the incident, and Colonel Beltrame was severely injured. He later died in the hospital. The attack and hostage situation in the Trebes supermarket also left 16 injured. The assailant was shot dead by security forces during the police operation to rescue the hostages. The Élysée Palace has announced that a national ceremony will be held for Colonel Beltrame. In recent hours, in addition to French citizens, several other European officials have also praised the fallen officer. For instance, Theresa May, the Prime Minister of the UK, tweeted, 'His selflessness and bravery will never be forgotten.' The French prosecutor identified the assailant as Radouane Lakdim, a 25-year-old Moroccan-born French citizen. He had previously been under surveillance for drug trafficking and had committed several minor crimes. French security forces reported that Lakdim shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during the attack and claimed to be a 'soldier of the Islamic State.' One security officer told the French news agency that he was armed with a firearm, a knife, and an improvised explosive device. The BBC reported that the assailant demanded the release of Salah Abdeslam, the only remaining main suspect from the November 2015 attacks in Paris, which left 130 dead and hundreds injured. Abdeslam, like Lakdim, is of Moroccan descent and holds French nationality. He grew up in Belgium. France has been on high alert in recent years due to attacks by extremist Islamists.