ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least 28 people were injured after an Afghan national rammed his car into a demonstration in Munich, southwest Germany on Thursday.
The attack notably preceded a major security conference set to be held in Munich and attended by the United States Vice President JD Vance and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker drove his car into a street where striking workers from the Verdi trade union - one of Germany’s largest unions - were protesting. Verdi had called for a one-day strike for city workers. The demonstration was swiftly dispersed following the incident.
A police spokesperson told reporters that the suspect was apprehended at the scene of the incident. The motives behind the attack are still unknown at the moment.
Joachim Hermann, Bavaria's interior minister, told reporters that they do not believe that there is any connection with the Munich Security Conference, which is set to kick off on Friday.
“Regarding the security conference, we will continue to keep the situation under control everywhere with an appropriately strong police presence. At the moment, we do not know of and don't assume there is any connection to the security conference. However, the motivation of this Afghan perpetrator still needs to be investigated more closely,” he said.
Bavarian state premier Markus Soder said the circumstances suggest the incident was a deliberate attack.
An eyewitness told Rudaw that the vehicle was moving fast before causing the incident.
‘Black day’
Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter told Rudaw’s Alla Shally that Thursday was a “black day” for Munich, adding that his thoughts are with the victims of the incident.
“I hope that everyone will survive and we will of course do everything as the city of Munich to investigate, for example, the background and residence status of the attacker, the perpetrator of the attack,” he noted. “Then we will see what the public prosecutor's office can determine about the background of the crime and any possible motives.”
Markus Soder, Bavarian state premier, told reporters circumstances pointed to the incident being a deliberate attack.
He commended the police for “acting quickly and decisively” to prevent further harm.
“To some extent, you can also feel that the security measures, which are very high due to the security conference, are also working because there are a lot of police in the city center,” he added. “One thing I must tell you, it appears to be an attack. Much points to this. Everything else still needs to be investigated regarding an Afghan citizen. We will clarify all details, but we react prudently to every such attack.”
Last updated at 5:51 pm
