Islamic State group Took responsibility on Saturday (24 August 2024) Knife attack in Solingen, Germany Three people died and eight others were injured in this. Amaq News site.
The group said the attacker targeted Christians and was a “soldier of Islamic State” who carried out the attack “to take revenge against Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
Police, including special forces, have launched a raid on a home for refugees in the city center of Solingen, according to a German news agency. DPA Report.
“We have received some clues and so we are currently carrying out police activities,” a police spokesperson said.
Special police units have joined the search for an unidentified knifeman who slit people’s throats at a crowded festival in a western German city, killing three people and wounding at least eight others, four of them seriously.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested on Saturday morning (August 24, 2024). Police said he was suspected of knowing about the planned attack and not informing authorities, but was not the attacker.
Markus Caspers of the anti-terrorism section of the public prosecutor’s office told a press conference on Saturday (August 24, 2024) that authorities have not been able to locate the culprit.
“So far we have not been able to determine a motive, but given the overall circumstances we cannot rule out the possibility of terrorism,” Mr. Caspers said, though he did not provide further details.
Officials said the three people who died included two men, aged 67 and 56, and a 56-year-old woman. Police said the attacker deliberately aimed at his victims’ necks.
Thorsten Fleiss of the German police, who headed the operation Friday night, said police were carrying out various searches and investigations across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia that would continue throughout the day.
He said it was a big challenge to bring together the available evidence and witness statements to present a holistic picture.
Mr Fleiss also said police had recovered several knives, but he was unable to confirm whether the offender used any of them as weapons during the attack.
Police warned people to remain vigilant while well-wishers started laying flowers at the scene. Authorities created an online portal where witnesses could upload footage and any other information related to the attack.
Churches in Solingen have opened their doors to provide places for prayer and emergency care.
German Interior Minister Nancy Fieser visited Solingen on Saturday evening. She said the government would make every effort to help the city and the people of Solingen.
“We will not allow a terrible attack that divides our society to happen,” she said, joined by Minister-President Hendrik Wüst of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and State Minister for the Interior Herbert Reul.
Mr Wust described the attack as “an act of terror against the security and freedom of this country”. But Ms Feser, the country’s top security official, has not called it a “terrorist attack”.
Mr. Ruhl announced that the interior minister’s planned crime scene visit would not take place due to the ongoing police operation in the affected areas of the city. He appealed to the public to “give the police time” so they could do their job. He also said that police presence would be increased at large events, especially because the culprit has not yet been caught.
On Friday, just after 9:30 p.m., people reported to police that an unidentified attacker had injured several people with a knife on the central square, Fraunhof.
“Our hearts were broken last night. We in Solingen are filled with fear and sadness. What happened in our city yesterday hasn’t allowed any of us to sleep,” Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach said, speaking to reporters near the site of the attack on Saturday.
The “Festival of Diversity”, held in celebration of the city’s 650th anniversary, began on Friday (August 23, 2024) and was to run until Sunday (August 25, 2024), presenting attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics on several stages along the central streets.
The attack took place in a crowd in front of a stage. The stage lights were still on hours after the attack while police and forensic investigators searched for clues in the cordoned off square. The rest of the festival was cancelled.
Solingen has a population of around 160,000 and is located close to larger cities such as Cologne and Düsseldorf.
Mr Caspers told the news conference that the 15-year-old boy was arrested after two female witnesses contacted police. He said they had heard a conversation between the boy and an unknown man before the attack, which included discussions about intentions related to the events leading up to the attack.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that the culprit must be caught quickly and punished with the full force of the law.
“The attack in Solingen is a terrible event that has shocked me deeply. An attacker has brutally killed several people. I have just spoken to Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach. We express our condolences to the victims and stand with their families,” Mr Scholz said on X.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also spoke to Mr. Kurzbach on Saturday morning.
“The heinous incident in Solingen has shocked me and our country. We mourn those killed and express our deepest condolences to the injured. I wish them strength and a speedy recovery with all my heart,” Mr. Steinmeier said in a statement on Saturday.
“The culprit must be brought to justice. Let us all stand together against hatred and violence.”
Concern has been raised about a rise in knife violence in Germany, and Interior Minister Nancy Fesser recently proposed toughening gun laws that would allow knives with blades up to 6 centimetres (about 2.4 inches) in length to be carried in public places, down from the current 12 centimetres (4.7 inches) allowed.