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Afghan arrested after car attack injures 30 in Munich, Germany

Friday 14 February 2025 - 09:33

An Afghan asylum seeker was arrested on Thursday in Munich after a car rammed into a trade union demonstration, injuring 30 people, some critically. The attack took place on the eve of an international security conference in the Bavarian city and sparked renewed debates on immigration ahead of Germany’s February 23 elections.

The assailant drove a Mini Cooper into the crowd, scattering victims and their belongings, including shoes. Munich's mayor, Dieter Reiter, confirmed that several individuals sustained life-threatening injuries, and some children were among the casualties.

Police fired at the vehicle and detained the driver, a 24-year-old Afghan named Farhad N., who had been living in Munich. Authorities suspect the attack may have had an extremist motive, with initial reports indicating the suspect had posted Islamist content online prior to the incident.

The assailant entered Germany in 2016 during the migrant crisis, but his asylum claim was rejected. Despite this, he remained in the country, finding employment. The investigation has been taken over by the regional prosecutor’s office.

The attack comes shortly after a deadly car assault at a Christmas market in Magdeburg last December. Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack, vowing severe punishment for the attacker. The incident has fueled calls for stricter immigration policies, with the CDU/CSU alliance pushing for tougher immigration controls ahead of the upcoming election.

Following the attack, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her commitment to accelerating deportations to Afghanistan, acknowledging the challenges posed by the situation. In addition to this, other recent attacks, such as a knife assault in Aschaffenburg that killed two, have raised further concerns.

The attack occurred just as the Munich Security Conference, which will include discussions on global security and Ukraine’s conflict with Russia, was about to begin.