Man seriously injured as he’s attacked by sword-wielding teens during armed robbery in Melbourne CBD

A young father has been left with lifelong injuries after he was attacked by sword-wielding thugs while working at a convenience store in Melbourne’s CBD.

Mohammed Panihani, 35, was working at the Ezi Mart on Swanston St on Friday night when two men stormed the store, wielding the large weapons and demanding cash and cigarettes.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Father left with lifelong injuries after being attacked by thugs

CCTV shows Panihani arming himself with a mallet, while both of the offenders swung the swords at him.

Panihani’s hand was slashed in the process, with blood dripping onto the floor as he clutched his hand in pain.

“At that moment I felt I (had) died,” he told 7NEWS. “It happened very quick.”

Bystanders inside the store at the time helped Panihani, covering the wound in a flag and applying pressure.

“(A woman) jumped on my hand ... to try and stop the bleeding,” Panihani said.

“(A) guy sat on my legs to stop me moving.”

Panihani said the pain was unbearable.

“I couldn’t move ... I couldn’t even move my tongue,” he said.

The father-of-two only moved to Australia from Jordan six months ago to complete his PhD. Any money he earns he sends back to his young family.

He suffered a severe injury to his left hand and faces ongoing surgery.

Doctors have told Panihani he won’t be able to use his hand for the next 12 months.

Two 18-year-olds have been charged over the attack while two other teens - a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old - are also set to be charged.

The owner of the convenience store told 7NEWS he wants more police to patrol Swanston St as violence ramps up across the city.

“All my employees are scared,” Mohammed Abualfoul said. “They (tell me they) don’t like to work alone especially at night.”

- With Molly Magennis