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ISIS Claims Responsibility For Stabbing That Killed 2 Women In Marseille, France

MARSEILLE, France (CBSNewYork/CBS News/AP) -- Two women were killed in the attack by a man with a knife at Marseille's main train station Sunday, including one whose throat was slit, according to French officials.

The officials said soldiers then fatally shot the attacker.

Sky News said the victims were reportedly 17 and 20 years old, and one had her throat cut while the other was stabbed in the abdomen.

A witness said she saw a man take a knife from his sleeve and stab the victims before shouting, "Allahu Akbar," Sky News reported.

ISIS later said group the man the attack was its "soldier."

The claim was carried in a statement Sunday night by the ISIS-affiliated Aamaq news agency. It said the attacker on Sunday acted in response to the group's calls to target countries involved in the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

It did not elaborate on the attacker's alleged ISIS links.

French counterterrorism authorities are investigating the attack.

French President Emmanuel Macron says he is "deeply outraged" by the "barbarous" incident, and also also paid tribute to the French soldiers assigned to domestic security -- who the president said in a tweet responded with cool heads and efficiency.

The French government this month decided to maintain the military force of 7,000 soldiers that was created to protect sensitive sites after the deadly extremist attacks of 2015.

Prime minister Edouard Philippe also praised the soldiers who shot the suspect and stopped the "killing frenzy"

France has been repeatedly targeted by ISIS and has been active in the anti-IS coalition since 2014.

Police evacuated the Saint Charles station after the attack, with officers and soldiers taking up positions outside.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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