Berlin, December 20 (RHC)-- At least 12 people have been killed and over 48 others injured after a truck drove into a Christmas market in the German capital Berlin.  Police and ambulances rushed to Breitscheidplatz, a major public square in downtown Berlin, where a truck plowed as far as 80 meters in to the busy market on Monday, in a move which was reminiscent of the attack on the French Riviera city of Nice in July.

"I don't want to use the word 'attack' yet, although there are many things pointing to one," said German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere.  However, according to unconfirmed reports, the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack on twitter.

An Australian tourist gave her account of the incident to reporters, saying that there was "blood and bodies everywhere."  Trisha O'Neill said that she saw "this huge black truck speeding through the markets crushing so many people and then all the lights went out and everything was destroyed."

According to the police, the driver of the truck has been detained and its passenger was killed during the incident.  Unconfirmed reports said that the driver was a refugee from either Afghanistan or Pakistan who arrived in the country earlier in the year.

The Polish owner of the truck has also announced that the lorry's driver has gone missing.  "We haven't heard from him since this afternoon.  We don't know what happened to him.  He's my cousin, and I've known him since I was a kid.  I can vouch for him," said Ariel Zurawski.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted to the incident by tweeting, "We mourn the dead and hope that the many people injured can be helped."

In response to the incident, France bolstered security measures in its own Christmas markets.  "The French share in the mourning of the Germans in the face of this tragedy that has hit all of Europe," said French President Francois Hollande.