Two killed, over 60 injured after car rams into visitors at German Christmas market

A tragic incident unfolded in the central German city of Magdeburg when a car drove into a crowd of shoppers at a Christmas market, claiming the lives of two people, including a child, and injuring more than 60 others.

A local government spokesperson described the incident as a "terror attack."

According to reports from German authorities, two casualties have been confirmed, while 68 others sustained injuries, with 15 individuals currently in critical condition.

Local media, citing government sources, stated that the driver of the vehicle was detained by the police. The Christmas market was immediately shut down, and emergency services rushed to the scene to assist the victims.

Eyewitnesses reported that a BMW sped through the crowd at a speed of approximately 400 meters.

Premier of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, Dr Reiner Haseloff expressed his sorrow over the tragedy, describing it as "horrific," especially just days before Christmas, before departing for Magdeburg to assess the situation personally.

Magdeburg, located west of Berlin, is the capital of Saxony-Anhalt and has a population of 224,000.

Authorities identified the suspect as a Saudi citizen named Taleb A, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who has lived in Germany since 2006. Taleb was reportedly granted refugee status in 2016.