At least four people were killed in the attack against visitors to a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, BILD reported, citing the services. Nearly 200 injured are reported, 40 of whom are in serious condition.
According to information from the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Berlin, there is currently no information about Bulgarian citizens being injured in yesterday's attack in the city of Magdeburg, in which a car crashed into the city's Christmas market. Our embassy is in constant contact with the local authorities and continues to monitor the situation with increased attention. This was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to a request from BTA.
If assistance is needed, Bulgarian citizens can contact the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in Berlin at +49 30 201 09 22 and the duty phone during non-working hours: + 49 176 122 99 190, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated. Signals and requests for assistance in emergency situations from Bulgarian citizens are accepted around the clock and on the telephone lines of the "Situation Center" directorate: +359 2 948 24 04; +359 2 971 38 56 or email: [email protected].
The attack comes eight years after a similar incident at a Christmas market in Berlin at a time when Germany is in the midst of an election campaign and is on high alert for possible terrorist attacks, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
The alleged perpetrator is a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who lives and practices in Bernburg in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, whose capital is Magdeburg, located 160 km from Berlin. The man, who has lived in Germany since 2006 and has a permanent residence permit in the country, acted alone, Haseloff said.
The car drove “at least 400 meters through the Christmas market“, a police spokesman in Magdeburg told AFP. The attacker was behind the wheel of a black SUV that drove through security barriers and then zigzagged through the market grounds, according to accounts from visitors to the local news website “Volkssthime“. When he tried to turn back, the attacker was stopped by police officers, according to the same source.