Cologne, Germany was rocked by a likely terrorist attack today. A man fire-bombed a fast-food restaurant, injuring a 14-year-old child before taking a woman hostage and barricading himself in a pharmacy. Apparently, the man was a 55-year-old asylum seeker from Syria and was demanding the release of a Tunisian woman who is in custody.
After a two-hour standoff, special forces stormed the pharmacy, which is located in the city’s central train station. During the standoff the man claimed to be a member of Daesh, aka the Islamic State. He also apparently tried to set his hostage on fire. Special forces were able to free the hostage, who suffered only minor injuries.
The assailant, on the other hand, was critically injured and responding officers had to use first-aid to keep him alive. He is currently in critical condition at a nearby hospital. Police found a travel document at the scene identifying him as a Syrian asylum seeker. Police are not ruling out terrorism as a motive. The 14-year-old girl also remains in the hospital, having suffered burns to her legs.
The incident comes after the Alternative for Germany party gained support in the recent Bavarian elections. While the far-right party only secured 10 percent of the vote, support has grown in response to the on-going immigrant crisis. This marks the first time the party will be seated in parliament. Many Germans have grown wary of migrants, with a recent poll suggesting that 62 percent support turning undocumented immigrants away at the border.
More than one million people, primarily from the Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan, have fled to Germany since 2015. Many more are scattered throughout Europe. Many are fleeing the on-going conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. Some are also “economic refugees,” desperately seeking better opportunities abroad.
Asylum applications have been tapering off, however. In 2016, nearly 750,000 people applied for asylum, while 2017 saw just over 222,000 applicants. The government reports that applications are down about 20 percent this year.
