SERIES OF ATTACKS
The lethal carnage recalled a 2016 assault during which a Tunisian man driving a lorry killed 12 individuals in a Christmas market in Berlin, the nation’s worst such assault.
A thirteenth sufferer died later having suffered severe accidents within the assault, claimed by the Islamic State group.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X that “the experiences from Magdeburg elevate the worst fears”.
“My ideas are with the victims and their households. We stand by their facet and by the facet of the individuals of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the devoted rescue employees in these anxious hours.”
Scholz was anticipated to journey to town on Saturday, mentioned the state premier.
German Inside Minister Nancy Faeser has not too long ago known as on individuals to be vigilant at Christmas markets, though she mentioned that authorities had not obtained any particular threats.
Home safety service the Workplace for the Safety of the Structure had warned it considers Christmas markets to be an “ideologically appropriate goal for Islamist-motivated individuals”.
Germany has in current occasions seen a collection of suspected extremist knife assaults.
Three individuals have been killed and eight wounded in a stabbing spree at a road competition within the western metropolis of Solingen in August.
Police arrested a Syrian suspect over the assault that was claimed by Islamic State.
In June, a policeman was killed in a knife assault in Mannheim, with an Afghan nationwide held as the principle suspect.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote that “the anticipation of a peaceable Christmas was immediately interrupted” within the assault, however he cautioned that “the background to the horrible deed has but been clarified”.
The chief of the far-right Various for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, which has centered on extremist assaults in its marketing campaign in opposition to immigrants, wrote on social media platform X: “When will this insanity cease?”
The Saudi authorities expressed “solidarity with the German individuals and the households of the victims” in a press release on X and “affirmed its rejection of violence”.
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned he was “profoundly shocked” by the assault and that he “shares the ache of the German individuals”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni additionally condemned the “brutal assault on the defenceless crowd” and Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez voiced his sorrow on the “horrible assault”.
