Scholz said it was necessary to investigate the attack and keep the country united

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday, December 21, at the site of the tragedy in Magdeburg, Germany, said it was important to investigate the terrorist attack and keep the nation united during a difficult period.

"There is no place more peaceful and cheerful than a Christmas market. A few days before Christmas Eve, before Christmas Day, people come together to do a little reflection and at the same time to celebrate. To drink mulled wine and eat a wiener. What a horrible act - to injure and kill so many people with such cruelty," the politician said.

He noted that more than 200 people were injured, five died, and the condition of nearly 40 victims is a matter of grave concern. Scholz called the incident a terrible and tragic event, expressing condolences to the families of the dead and injured, as well as the residents of Magdeburg.

The Chancellor said the terrorist attack must be investigated to bring the perpetrators to justice and called for unity and solidarity of the nation.

"We will not let those who want to see hatred get away with it, but we will also not let the perpetrators go unpunished and will take action to the full extent of the law. In order to protect our community and our common future," he said.

What happened in Magdeburg: a car drove into the crowd at the Christmas fair

There are dead and wounded

The night before, a car crashed into a crowd of people at a fair in Magdeburg. According to the latest reports, four people were killed, including a young child, and 205 others were injured. The representative of the German government in the state of Saxony-Anhalt Matthias Schuppe called what happened a terrorist attack.

Soon it became known about the detention of the suspect - a native of Saudi Arabia born in 1974. The police specified that he most likely acted alone. Information about the presence of an explosive device in his car was not confirmed. However, it was specified that in the blood of the man found drugs.

Scholz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed their condolences to the families of the victims. The Russian Embassy in Germany is clarifying information about the presence of Russian citizens among the injured.