A police patrol of two police officers was monitoring the implementation of health emergency measures at a roundabout in the city of Bejaed when the suspect, who was on a bicycle attacked a police officer who was checking his identity documents, National Police (DGSN) said in a statement, adding that the policeman has sustained serious injuries on his head, shoulders and neck by a sharp object.

The man ran away and barricaded himself on the roof of his house, while showing fierce resistance and threatening the police officers who intervened to arrest him with a sword, the source said, adding that policemen were forced to fire three bullets that injured him in the lower limbs before arresting him.

The injured policeman was rushed into the Khouribga regional hospital to undergo a surgical operation, while a judicial investigation was opened under the supervision of the competent prosecutor's office into this crime, which may be linked to an individual or collective scheme aimed at undermining public order, the source pointed out.