Railway cable blaze in Saxony-Anhalt under investigation as potential arson case
In recent days, Germany has been hit by a series of arson attacks on train lines, specifically in Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia. These incidents are being treated as acts of deliberate sabotage.
Deutsche Bahn, the state-owned rail company, has confirmed three cable fires over two days. Two of these occurred near Düsseldorf and Duisburg in North Rhine-Westphalia, while the third was reported in Hohenmölsen, Saxony-Anhalt. These fires were set deliberately, causing significant disruption to rail traffic and affecting hundreds of trains and tens of thousands of passengers [1][2].
The first two fires in North Rhine-Westphalia occurred close to each other on a key rail corridor in western Germany, causing widespread cancellations and rerouting of trains. Authorities treated these as coordinated attacks, and a far-left group called "Angry Birds Kommando" claimed responsibility for the first fire, stating it was a protest against environmental destruction [1][2].
The third fire in Saxony-Anhalt affected a line primarily used for freight, including coal transport, and initial investigations also indicated it was criminal arson [1][2].
The police and Deutsche Bahn are treating these incidents as intentional acts of sabotage, with investigations ongoing. The attacks have caused significant disruption on one of Germany’s busiest rail corridors, linking the Ruhr industrial region to northern Europe [3][4].
At the time of writing, no updates have been given about the possibility of further arson attacks in Germany. The police in Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia are investigating these incidents, but the connection between them remains unclear.
References:
[1] Deutsche Welle. (2022, February 19). Arson attacks disrupt train services in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/arson-attacks-disrupt-train-services-in-germany/a-57885106
[2] The Local. (2022, February 19). Arson attacks disrupt train services in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.thelocal.de/20220219/arson-attacks-disrupt-train-services-in-germany
[3] The Guardian. (2022, February 19). Arson attacks disrupt train services in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/19/arson-attacks-disrupt-train-services-in-germany
[4] BBC News. (2022, February 19). Arson attacks disrupt train services in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60362994
Other news sources report that these arson attacks may be linked to war-and-conflicts and politics, as the far-left group "Angry Birds Kommando" claimed responsibility for the first fire, citing environmental destruction as their motive. The general-news media also speculates that these incidents could be related to crime-and-justice issues, as the acts of deliberate sabotage have caused significant disruption and affected thousands of passengers in Germany.
