6th January 2025 – (Magdeburg) Prosecutors announced on Monday, January 6, that the death toll from the car ramming incident at a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg has risen to six. A 52-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries in hospital, according to authorities in the nearby city of Naumburg.
The tragic event occurred on December 20, when a black BMW drove through the festive market, injuring 299 people as it collided with stalls and scattered victims among the decorations.
The driver, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old Saudi psychiatrist, was arrested at the scene. While he had previously expressed anti-Islam sentiments and supported far-right conspiracy theories regarding the “Islamisation” of Europe, the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser indicated that there are indications the suspect may be suffering from a psychiatric condition. This incident has intensified discussions around security and immigration in Germany, especially in light of several knife attacks linked to Islamist extremists over the past year.
In response, the far-right Alternative for Germany party, currently polling in second place, organised a memorial rally for the victims, calling for the closure of Germany’s borders
