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Ulviyya Poladova

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Five people were injured after a man armed with an axe attacked victims near a mosque in Edinburgh, Scotland, in an incident that prompted a rapid police response and led to the arrest of a suspect, AzerNEWS reports, citing BBC.

At around 20:50 local time, police received a call reporting that two people had been injured in an attack near a mosque in western Edinburgh. Later, a 36-year-old man went on to attack three more people, including one near a real estate agency.

After the initial assault, he allegedly went on to cause further damage at nearby locations, including smashing a vehicle’s windows at a petrol station and breaking the entrance door of a pizzeria.

Authorities noted that some of the injured were members of the Muslim community.

Investigators are currently treating the case as a possible hate crime, with counter-terrorism units involved in the inquiry. However, officials have stressed that the motive has not yet been conclusively established.

In a statement Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said there was "no place for racism or faith-based hate in Scotland".

Several groups representing Muslim communities have condemned the attacks.

The Muslim Council of Britain said the Muslim community is "rightly nervous and worried".

Image: PA media