Paris soldier attack: Arrest after man 'referenced Isis' in assault on troop patrolling France's capital

Thousands of troops and police officers are deployed in France's anti-terror Operation Sentinelle

The Chatelet train and underground station in central Paris (Google Street View)

A man has been arrested after attacking a soldier on patrol in Paris.

The soldier was attacked from behind by a man wielding a knife at about 6.30am. The man was also reported to have referenced Isis during the assault in a major subway interchange.

The incident, in which the soldier in question was not injured, was the latest of several attacks on troops deployed in large numbers to patrol sensitive places in France after a series of attacks by Islamist militants that have killed more than 230 people in France in the past three years.

The latest incident was confirmed by armed forces minister Florence Parly in an interview on Europe 1 radio.

The man is not thought to have been known to police, according to French media.

Police spokeswoman Johana Primevert said the incident took place in the Chatelet station in central Paris. Traffic and access to the station, which serves multiple subway and commuter train lines, quick resumed.

Thousands of troops and police officers are deployed in France's Operation Sentinelle, launched after the January 2015 terror attacks.

The attack came the day after the government announced changes to the force, with a greater focus on temporary and seasonal events. The soldiers still will patrol around major tourist sites, places of worship, train stations and airports.

Additional reporting by agencies