Travel agency targeted by arson attack in Germany

By Mesut Zeyrek

COLOGNE, Germany (AA) - A Turkish travel agency was set on fire in the German city of Stuttgart last night, the owner told Anadolu.

Rahmi Adibes, a tradesman in Stuttgart for 35 years, said his agency was set on fire by two unidentified individuals last night and the incident was clearly visible on the security cameras.

He said that at around 3 a.m. local time (0100GMT), two individuals arrived, broke into the premises by smashing the door, poured flammable substances, and set it on fire.

He said the incident was witnessed by a taxi driver, a truck driver, and the chef of a nearby restaurant.

The people in the vicinity tried to put out the fire and alerted the fire department, he added.

Adibes urged the German authorities to promptly investigate the incident and apprehend the culprits.

Meanwhile, the police issued a statement, calling on eyewitnesses to come forward.

The police reported that the fire at the travel agency caused significant damage amounting to tens of thousands of euros, while the fire department quickly intervened and extinguished the fire.

Makbule Kocak, Türkiye's consul general in Stuttgart, visited the affected travel agency to gather information and expressed their commitment to closely follow the case.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had also expressed his reaction to the attempted arson attack on the travel agency, saying Germany's record on these issues is not good.

He also said he mentioned this issue to the current and previous interior minister during his visits to Germany, adding that none of the racially and Islamophobic-motivated attacks have been solved so far.