Vehicle Crashes into Festive Market in Germany, Resulting in Two Fatalities
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Berlin, Dec 21 (NationPress) A vehicle surged into a Christmas market in the heart of Germany's Magdeburg, tragically claiming the lives of at least two individuals – one adult and a young child – and leaving over 60 injured, as announced by the state premier of Saxony-Anhalt.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his condolences on social media platform X, stating, "My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg."
During an interview with broadcaster ARD, the state premier of Saxony-Anhalt disclosed that the suspect is a doctor from Saudi Arabia, who has resided in Germany since 2006 and has been employed in Saxony-Anhalt.
He further remarked that 15 of the injured individuals are in serious condition, warning that the number of fatalities may increase.
According to dpa, the driver has been taken into custody, and it was noted that the suspect was not previously on the radar of law enforcement as an Islamist.
The vehicle, identified by Spiegel as a black BMW, reportedly careened into the crowd around 7:04 p.m. Witnesses reported the driver’s actions as a "zigzag course across the entire market area," as per local publication Mitteldeutsche Zeitung. Authorities indicated that the vehicle traversed "at least 400 meters across the Christmas market."
Following the incident, the Christmas market located near Magdeburg's city hall was promptly shut down. Emergency responders, including ambulances and fire personnel, arrived in significant numbers to assist the injured, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Magdeburg, with a population of approximately 237,000, is situated in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, roughly 150 km west of Berlin.
This incident draws parallels to a devastating attack that occurred nearly eight years ago on December 19, 2016, when an Islamist terrorist drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, resulting in 12 deaths and over 70 injuries. The assailant fled to Italy, where he was subsequently shot by police.
