Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Basar Sen visited the western German city of Solingen on Thursday, after an arson attack killed a Bulgarian-Turkish immigrant family, and injured more than a dozen people.
As many as 21 people were rescued from the building, with nine taken to the hospital with serious injuries, including two in critical condition. Turkish nationals were among those injured. Sen said prosecutors have confirmed that the cause of the fire was an arson, as investigators have found remains of an accelerant in the wooden stairwell of the house. The ambassador said he was confident that the German authorities would carry out a thorough investigation and shed light on this crime, and promised that the Turkish authorities would closely follow the developments on this matter.
He also expressed hope that the perpetrators will be swiftly identified and brought to justice. On Thursday evening, dozens of people gathered for a vigil in front of the burned house in Solingen to remember and pray for the victims.
They placed flowers and candles on the sidewalk. Kamil Genc, who lost his family members in the Solingen arson attack, also attended the vigil, and called on the authorities to carry out a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice.
Their house was set ablaze by neo-Nazis amid growing resentment against immigrants and foreigners in the country, after the unification of East and West Germany. Police arrested four right-wing extremists after the arson attack, and the assailants were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison.
