New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday evening condemned the car attack at a Christmas market in Germany’s Magdeburg which killed five people and injured over 200 people, calling it “horrific and senseless.” As per reports as many as seven Indians were also injured in the attack. The ministry further assured that the Indian embassy in Berlin is in close contact with the injured Indians.
The attack occurred on Friday in Magdeburg and officials said that the Indian embassy is providing all necessary assistance.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser reached the spot and inspected the attack. Officials are currently investigating the matter.
What Happened?
On Friday evening, a 50-year-old suspect identified as a Saudi doctor Taleb al-Abdulmohsen rammed his car into crowds at a Christmas market in Magdeburg’s Saxony-Anhalt, leaving at least five people, including a nine-year-old, dead and nearly 200 injured, as per German authorities.
The attack occurred around 7:04 pm at the Magdeburg Christmas market in the Old Market area, near the Town Hall and the River Elbe.
According to eyewitnesses a dark BMW suddenly sped into the crowd of holiday shoppers, causing chaos and destruction.
Many described scenes of terror as the car ploughed through stalls and people, leaving a trail of injured victims.
According to officials at least seven Indians were injured in the attack and three of them have been discharged from the hospital.
What Did the MEA Say?
The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack calling it “
horrific and senseless,” adding that the Indian embassy in Berlin will provide all required assistance.
In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a tweet expressed deep sorrow saying, “We condemn the horrific and senseless attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany. Several precious lives have been lost, and many have been injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims.”
“Our Mission is in contact with Indians who are injured, as well as their families, and rendering all possible assistance,” the statement read.
Who is Prime Suspect, Saudi Doctor Arrested for ‘Deliberate Killings’?
A Saudi national has been arrested for allegedly driving a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday evening. Tamara Zieschang, the Interior Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, revealed that the prime suspect in the recent attack in Magdeburg, Germany, is a 50-year-old Saudi national. The man, who moved to Germany in 2006, has been working as a doctor in Bernburg, about 36 kilometres south of Magdeburg.
Saxony-Anhalt’s Governor, Reiner Haseloff, assured the public that there is currently no further threat to the city, stating that, based on current information, the suspect is believed to have acted alone, a local news daily reported.
This incident comes eight years after a similar attack in Berlin, when an Islamic extremist drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market, killing 13 people and injuring many others. The attacker was later shot and killed in Italy.
Suspect Was Clearly Islamophobic: Reports
The suspect arrested in connection with the deadly car-ramming attack at a Christmas market has been described as ‘clearly Islamophobic,’ media reports cited quoting Germany’s interior minister Nancy Faeser.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Faeser said, “This was clear to see,” but didn’t provide any further details on the man’s political affiliations.
Taleb is a Saudi refugee who arrived in Germany in 2016 after fleeing his home country, reportedly due to what he perceived as an oppressive Islamic regime.
He settled in Bernburg, where he worked as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist.
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