Train movement resumes in North Rhine-Westphalia - fresh crime scene discovered in Saxony-Anhalt
Suspected left-wing extremist sabotage on German railway tracks is currently under investigation, with recent incidents occurring in the Düsseldorf area and Saxony-Anhalt.
In late July and early August 2025, arson attacks on railway cables near Düsseldorf and Duisburg caused significant disruptions to rail services. A fire in a cable duct near Düsseldorf on July 31 led police to suspect potential sabotage, resulting in extensive repair work on five cables with a total length of around 100 meters.
The police in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) are investigating the cable fires as a suspected act of sabotage. NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) has expressed his suspicion that left-wing extremists are behind the arson attack in Düsseldorf. A claim of responsibility for the deed was published on the left-wing platform "Indymedia," but the authenticity of the statement is still being checked.
A similar arson attack on railway cables was reported near Wepau, a district of Hohenmelsungen in Saxony-Anhalt, on August 1, and is also under investigation as an arson-related sabotage. The situation in Hamm is not directly related to the cable fires or the investigations.
The consequences of the cable fires have impacted tens of thousands of travelers, including commuters and holidaymakers. Hundreds of trains in long-distance and regional traffic were affected by the cable fires. Train traffic in NRW has resumed, and the replacement bus service is no longer necessary. As of morning, train stations in Düsseldorf and Duisburg were running as usual.
The cable fires occurred on the nationwide central North-South axis of the German Railway, affecting the heavily frequented Duisburg-Düsseldorf route. Further news from Hamm includes the installation of new sculptures on the Halde Sachsen, training start dates for 2025, and an increase in unemployment in July.
In addition, another suspected arson attack has been reported in Saxony-Anhalt, affecting a freight traffic route for coal transports. Initial investigations suggest that the cable fire in Saxony-Anhalt was also deliberately set. However, as of now, there are no new updates regarding a potential connection between the incidents in NRW and Saxony-Anhalt.
The state protection is also involved in the investigation in NRW. The group called "Commando Angry Birds" claims responsibility for the deed, but the authenticity of the statement is still being checked. The police are working diligently to uncover the truth behind these incidents and bring those responsible to justice.
- Amidst the ongoing investigations into the sabotage incidents on German railway tracks, the recent cable fires in the Düsseldorf area and Saxony-Anhalt have also been classified as potential acts of sabotage, given the involvement of left-wing extremists suspected in the initial arson attack in Düsseldorf.
- The general-news landscape has been buzzing with updates on the arson-related sabotage of railway cables across Germany, with crimes and justice agencies working tirelessly to link the incidents in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt, as several left-wing platforms have claimed responsibility for these attacks.
