German police announced on Sunday that a Syrian man surrendered and admitted to murdering three individuals and injuring eight others in a knife attack during a street festival. The random assault occurred on Friday amidst thousands of festival-goers in the western city of Solingen, shocking Germany. Officials reported that two men, aged 56 and 67, and a 56-year-old woman were killed, with four of the injured remaining in critical condition. All victims were stabbed in the neck, according to police.
In a statement, police identified the suspect as a 26-year-old Syrian who had voluntarily turned himself in to the investigating authorities and claimed responsibility for the attack. A suspect was apprehended during a raid at a hostel for asylum seekers on Saturday, close to the attack site, as confirmed by a police spokesperson to AFP. North Rhine-Westphalia state interior minister Herbert Reul stated that police had evidence connecting the man to the knife attacks.
According to Bild and Spiegel newspapers, the suspect arrived in Germany in December 2022 with protected immigration status typically granted to those fleeing war-torn Syria. He was not previously known to security services as an extremist. Additionally, police arrested a 15-year-old who is suspected of not reporting a criminal act; witnesses allegedly saw the teenager discussing the attack, according to Markus Caspers, prosecutor of Duesseldorf.
The attack took place on the first night of the 'Festival of Diversity,' part of a series of events celebrating Solingen's 650th anniversary. Germany has been on high alert for extremist attacks since the Gaza war began on October 7. The Daesh group's Amaq propaganda arm claimed that the Solingen attacker was a 'soldier of Daesh,' acting in revenge for Muslims in Palestine, though this claim could not be immediately verified.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has warned that Germany is a target for radical groups. National and local leaders, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, expressed deep shock over the Solingen deaths. Witness Lars Breitzke described the scene near the main stage, where he saw a person fall and later discovered others on the ground covered in blood. Faeser, visiting the site of the tragedy, called for unity in the face of hatred, urging the country not to be divided.
The incident comes as Germany prepares for regional elections where the far-right AfD is leading in polls. The country previously took in over a million asylum seekers during the 2015-2016 European migrant crisis, which significantly impacted the political landscape. Solingen, a city of about 160,000 people, had expected up to 75,000 visitors for the now-cancelled 'Festival of Diversity.'
