Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Berlin 'terror' attack: Pictures show scene of devastation at Christmas market

Truck, believed to be a stolen Polish lorry being driven by refugee, ploughed into crowds outside Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church

Peter Walker
Tuesday 20 December 2016 08:20 GMT
Comments
At least 12 people are dead and dozens are injured
At least 12 people are dead and dozens are injured (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty)

At least 12 people have died and some 48 people injured after a migrant is believed to have ploughed a lorry into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market.

A truck, reportedly a stolen Polish lorry being driven by a refugee from either Afghanistan or Pakistan, ran over unsuspecting shoppers and destroyed buildings shortly after 8pm local time.

Pictures show debris scattered across the street, the damaged frontage of the black Scania and authorities removing bodies.

Follow the latest live coverage

Police say the Polish lorry was stolen and that the male refugee lorry driver is believed to have arrived in Germany in February Sean Gallup/Getty (Sean Gallup/Getty)
The refugee is believed to have come from either Afghanistan or Pakistan Sean Gallup/Getty (Sean Gallup/Getty)
Authorities are seen removing bodies at the Breitscheidplatz market Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty)
Police have stormed a refugee camp elsewhere in Germany Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty)
The tragedy followed a mirror incident in the French city of Nice in July Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty)
The truck driver mounted the pavement in what appears to be a deliberate assault Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty)

German special forces have since stormed a hangar at Berlin's defunct Tempelhof airport which noce houses Berlin's biggest refugee accomodation centre - according to German magazine Focus.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in