John AdoyiA deadly attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany on Friday has left five people dead, including a child, and nearly 200 injured.
Authorities have described the incident as a deliberate act, with the 55-year-old suspect, identified as Taleb A., now in police custody.
Authorities first reported that two people died immediately on Friday, with the other persons dying today.
Taleb A., a Saudi Arabian doctor who has lived in Germany since 2006 and holds permanent residency, is a practicing psychiatrist and psychotherapist. Reports confirm that he left the Islamic faith upon moving to Germany, though no clear motive has been established for the attack. However, he has been a strong critic of the German asylum policy which he alleged has been targeting Saudi Arabians.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who visited the city after the incident, expressed his shock and outrage. “There is no place more peaceful and joyful than a Christmas market,” Scholz said. “What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality.”
Scholz confirmed that over 40 people were critically injured in the attack, with many feared to be in life-threatening conditions. “I, as chancellor, speak for everyone who bears responsibility in this country to express our sympathies,” he added. “We will ensure that the full force of the law is used to bring the attacker to justice.”
This tragedy is similar to an attack that occurred nearly eight years ago in Berlin, the capital of Germany where a man drove a truck into a Christmas market, killing 12 and injuring dozens more.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the German people and the families of the victims. However, the ministry did not specifically mention the identity of the attacker in its statement.
As the investigation continues, German authorities are exploring the motives behind the horrific attack.
A memorial service for the victims is planned for Saturday at 7 PM local time, according to reports from German news outlet DW.
