The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a knife attack in Solingen, Germany, that killed three people and wounded eight others. The attacker, described as a “soldier of the Islamic State,” carried out the attack in revenge for Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere. Police have detained a teenager who may be connected to the attack, but the perpetrator is still at large. The government described the incident as an act of terror and is conducting a manhunt to catch the assailant.
The attack took place during a festival marking the city’s 650th anniversary. Authorities are treating it as a possible terrorist incident due to the lack of other motives. Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for the perpetrator to be swiftly caught and punished. Fatal stabbings and shootings are rare in Germany, and the government is looking to tighten rules on carrying knives in public.
Solingen Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach expressed shock and grief over the incident, and police have cordoned off the area. The festival was cancelled after the attack, and witnesses reported a tense atmosphere with helicopters circling above. North Rhine-Westphalia’s interior minister visited the scene but declined to speculate on the motive behind the attack.
Solingen is known for its knife manufacturing industry and has a population of approximately 165,000 people. The city has been deeply affected by this act of violence, and authorities are working diligently to bring the perpetrator to justice.
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