The Islamic State group (ISIS) is claiming responsibility for the knife attack in Solingen, Germany, that left three people dead and eight others injured on Friday.
The attack took place during a festival in the Fronhof market square, where the city was celebrating its 650th anniversary, and police have since arrested three individuals believed to have a connection to the incident, reported Reuters.
ISIS released a statement on its Telegram account on Saturday, saying the attack was carried out by a “soldier of the Islamic State” in retaliation for “Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.” However, the group provided no evidence to support its claim, and the exact relationship between the attacker and Islamic State remains unclear.
AP Photo
Investigators respond early Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, after multiple people were killed and injured during an attack late Friday at the 650th anniversary celebrations of the city of Solingen, western Germany
Authorities have detained a 26-year-old man suspected of being involved in the rampage, but have yet to confirm his direct involvement.
Earlier in the day, they arrested a 15-year-old boy who allegedly knew about the attack beforehand, although he is not considered the main suspect. The teenager was detained after two women reported overhearing him discuss the attack with another person.
The Islamic State has claimed the attack in Solingen, Germany. In a statement by its official mouthpiece Amaq, IS said that one of its affiliates targeted a gathering of “Christians for the cause of Palestine and Muslims”. Three people were killed and 4 injured in a knife attack… pic.twitter.com/8KmyJcOWQd
— Iftikhar Firdous (@IftikharFirdous) August 24, 2024
A third arrest was made at a refugee home in Solingen on Saturday, with little details emerging, but the claim that this individual was “the real suspect,” according to Interior Minister Herbert Reul.
Police are continuing to search for evidence and establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following the attack, Solingen’s Mayor Tim Kurzbach shared a message on social media, expressing his heartbreak and solidarity with the victims and their families. “Tonight all of us in Solingen are in shock, horror, and great sadness,” he wrote. “I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we’ve lost. I pray for all those still fighting for their lives.”
Solingen, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia known for its steel industry, is home to approximately 160,000 people and is located about 15 miles east of Düsseldorf.
