'At least 11 killed' as car driven into people at German Christmas market

A car careered into a bustling Christmas market in Magdeburg, in eastern Germany, on Friday, leaving an unknown number of people injured in what is authorities say is a deliberate attack.

The driver was arrested, according to the German news agency dpa, which cited unnamed government officials from the state of Saxony-Anhalt. According reports by German newspaper Bild, at least 11 people have been killed in the incident.

Matthias Schuppe, a regional government spokesperson, and Michael Reif, a city spokesperson, both shared suspicion that the act was intentional. Mr. Reif reported "numerous injured" but did not provide an exact count.

"The pictures are terrible," he said. "My information is that a car drove into the Christmas market visitors, but I can’t yet say from what direction and how far."

Magdeburg’s University Hospital was treating 10 to 20 patients and bracing for more, as per dpa's report.

The festive atmosphere of the market was halted by the sound of sirens from emergency services. Video from the scene showed a section of the market cordoned off with debris scattered across the ground.

"This is a terrible event, particularly now in the days before Christmas," said Saxony-Anhalt governor Reiner Haseloff. While en route to Magdeburg, Mr Haseloff told dpa he could not provide immediate details about the victims or the nature of the incident.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz shared his thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter: "My thoughts are with the victims and their relatives. We stand beside them and beside the people of Magdeburg."

Magdeburg, located to the west of Berlin and serving as the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt with a population of around 240,000, is the latest city to experience a suspected attack. This incident follows a tragic event eight years ago when an Islamic extremist drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin on December 19, 2016, resulting in 13 fatalities and dozens injured.

The perpetrator was later killed in a shootout in Italy. Despite these incidents, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser reassured the public last month that there were no specific threats to this year's Christmas markets, but emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant.