At least two people were killed and dozens more injured in a suspected attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday evening, CNN reported.
The attack occurred when a car deliberately rammed into a crowd of people at the market, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries.
According to local public broadcaster MDR, Saxony-Anhalt Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff confirmed that the two victims included an adult and a toddler.
The tragic incident, which unfolded in the heart of the popular holiday market, left 68 people injured. Of these, 15 sustained serious injuries, with 37 others moderately injured and 16 suffering from minor injuries.
The suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who moved to Germany in 2006, Tamara Zieschang, the interior minister for the state of Saxony-Anhalt, said at a news conference. He has been practicing medicine in Bernburg, about 40 km south of Magdeburg, she said, AP reported.
Emergency response teams, including around 100 firefighters and 50 rescue personnel, were quickly deployed to the scene to assist the wounded and transport them to nearby hospitals. Local authorities have been working swiftly to manage the crisis and prevent further harm.
According to Haseloff, the suspected driver of the car involved in the attack has been apprehended. Preliminary information suggests the driver acted alone, Haseloff stated, and authorities were in the process of compiling further data and conducting an interrogation.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
