On 20 December, a car crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg. The death toll from the incident has risen to 11, with over 200 people injured, including a Ukrainian woman, said — Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff, Ukrinform reports.
According to witnesses, the incident occurred when a black BMW sped into the crowd before heading towards the town hall. Der Spiegel noted that authorities have not yet determined the cause of the attack, and an investigation into a terrorist attempt is still being considered as a possibility.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that one of the victims is a Ukrainian citizen, born in 1972, who was hospitalized. The Ukrainian Embassy in Germany and consular staff are providing assistance to the clinic.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his condolences following the tragedy.
“Violence should never prevail. We all pray that doctors can save the lives of the severely injured. It is crucial to uncover all the circumstances and motives behind the attack. We stand with the people of Magdeburg and all Germans during this difficult time. Stay strong, dear German friends,” he wrote on social media.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser visited the scene, where they, along with other politicians, paid tribute to the victims. Scholz condemned the attack and called for solidarity and mutual support in such difficult times, as per BILD.
Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the crime. Police stated that the suspect had not previously been identified as an Islamist.
German news outlet Tagesschau reported that the man suspected of driving the car was detained. The suspect is a doctor from Saudi Arabia who has lived in Germany since 2006.
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