Media: Death toll rises to six following Christmas market attack in Germany

The death toll from the December 20 car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, has climbed to six, as a 52-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries on January 6, authorities confirmed. 

Nearly 300 people were injured in the tragic incident, while five victims — four women and one boy — were killed at the scene, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

The suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi national and practising physician, has been in Germany since 2006 after being granted political asylum despite being wanted in Saudi Arabia on human trafficking charges. Investigators revealed that the suspect had expressed extreme anti-Islam views online, often criticizing what he perceived as the "Islamisation" of Germany.

The attack unfolded when the suspect rammed his black BMW into a crowd at the bustling Christmas market, evoking painful memories of the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack that left 13 dead. Anti-vehicle barriers, increasingly installed at holiday markets across Germany, were not enough to prevent the devastation in Magdeburg.

Authorities apprehended the suspect at the scene. Prosecutors are now examining the motive behind the attack, with comparisons drawn to past incidents of vehicle-ramming terrorism.

The incident has sparked a parliamentary inquiry into how the suspect was able to remain in Germany despite warnings from Riyadh about his potential threat. Lawmakers are questioning the asylum process and the measures in place to address security risks associated with individuals granted refuge.

By Khagan Isayev