International

Munich Car Attack: Tragedy as Mother, Child Die from Injuries

Published

1 month ago

Feb 15, 2025.

Dennis

A mother and her two-year-old daughter have died from injuries sustained in the Munich car attack.
The 24-year-old Afghan suspect admitted to deliberately driving into the crowd at a trade union rally.
The attack has reignited debates on security and migration ahead of Germany’s federal elections.

A 37-year-old mother and her two-year-old daughter have died from injuries sustained in Thursday’s car attack in Munich, German police confirmed.

The attack occurred when a vehicle was deliberately driven into a crowd at a trade union rally, injuring at least 37 people. The suspect, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker identified in local media as Farhad N., was arrested at the scene and has admitted to the attack, according to prosecutors. Officials say he appeared to have a religious motive.

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The victims, who were among those hospitalized with severe injuries, succumbed on Saturday. “Unfortunately, we have to confirm the deaths today of the two-year-old child and her 37-year-old mother,” police spokesman Ludwig Waldinger told AFP.

The attack has reignited security concerns in Germany, coming just a week before the country’s federal elections and on the eve of the Munich Security Conference. Immigration and national security have been at the centre of heated debates ahead of the vote, following several violent incidents involving migrants in recent months.

Authorities revealed that the suspect arrived in Germany in 2016. Though his asylum application was rejected, he was permitted to stay due to the risks associated with deportation to Afghanistan. He held a valid residence and work permit and had no prior criminal record.

Police have found no evidence linking him to jihadist groups and believe he acted alone. During questioning, he admitted to intentionally driving into the crowd and reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” upon his arrest. Munich public prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann stated that he “may have had an Islamist motivation.”