Saudi Arabia stands in solidarity with Germany after Christmas market attack

Saudi Arabia expressed its condolences and solidarity with Germany following a deadly car-ramming incident at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt.

The attack, carried out by a Saudi national, left at least two people dead, including a young child, and injured over 60 others.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended support to the German people and the victims’ families, reiterating its rejection of violence in all forms.

The attacker, identified as a 50-year-old Saudi doctor with permanent residency in Germany, was arrested at the scene. He had been living in Germany for nearly two decades. Authorities described him as a lone offender and assured the public there was no further threat.

Reiner Haseloff, Premier of Saxony-Anhalt, called the incident a catastrophe for the city, the state, and Germany, warning that the death toll could rise due to the severity of some injuries.

The motive remains unclear, and the suspect was not previously known to German authorities. However, a Saudi source told Reuters that the kingdom had alerted German officials about the attacker, who allegedly shared extremist views on his X account.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his condolences on X and is expected to visit the site on Saturday with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.