A car has been driven into a crowd at a Christmas market in eastern Germany.
German news agency dpa has reported that the vehicle was driven into a group of people at the market in Magdeburg on Friday.
A least one person has been killed, according to German public broadcaster MDR.
A further 60 to 80 people may have been injured, according to the AFP news agency, citing a local rescue service.
The driver of the car was arrested, dpa reported.
Regional government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe and city spokesperson Michael Reif said they suspected it was an attack.
“This is a terrible event, particularly now in the days before Christmas,” Saxony-Anhalt Governor Reiner Haseloff said.
Haseloff told dpa that he was on his way to Magdeburg but couldn’t immediately give any information on victims or what was behind the incident.
Magdeburg, which is west of Berlin, is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt and has about 240,000 inhabitants.
An “extensive police operation” is underway and the market was closed, according to local authorities.
Key Points
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Christmas market organisers issue plea to public
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Pictures from the scene of the incident
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Mapped: Where is Magdeburg?
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Market-goers attempt to treat injured people
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Local officials issue statements
Market-goers attempt to treat injured people
20:11 , Jabed Ahmed
A video published by newspaper Bild showed people trying to help what appeared to be multiple injured victims at a crowded Christmas market.
“I estimate there are at least 20 ambulances here, a lot of firefighters, and I can see the police helicopter circling in the sky,” an MDR reporter said during a live broadcast, adding that there were a lot of armed police on site.
Eyewitnesses told MDR that the car drove straight into the crowd at the market, in the direction of the town hall.
Local officials issue statements
20:09 , Jabed Ahmed
Regional government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe and city spokesperson Michael Reif said they suspected it was a deliberate act.
Reif said there were “numerous injured” but didn’t give a precise figure.
“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.”
Regional government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe and city spokesperson Michael Reif said they suspected it was a deliberate act.
Reif said there were “numerous injured” but didn’t give a precise figure.
“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.”
‘Please let the emergency services do their job’, organisers say
20:03 , Jabed Ahmed
Magedeburg’s Christmas Market warned people to avoid the area in a post on Instagram.
“Due to current circumstances, we advise you to avoid the Christmas market in Magdeburg! Please let the emergency services do their job and leave the market in an orderly manner.”
The scene in pictures
19:58 , Jabed Ahmed
Mapped: Where is Magdeburg?
19:57 , Jabed Ahmed
Car drives into crowd at Christmas market in Germany
19:56 , Jabed Ahmed
A car has been driven into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in eastern Germany.
German news agency dpa has reported that the vehicle was driven into a group of people at the market in Magdeburg on Friday.
A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident, according to German public broadcaster MDR.
The driver of the car was arrested, dpa reported.
Regional government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe and city spokesperson Michael Reif said they suspected it was an attack.
