"A suspected suicide bomber has killed himself and injured 12 others in an explosion outside a wine bar in the German city of Ansbach. Detectives have said the suspected attacker was a 27-year-old Syrian man who had been denied asylum in Germany. Security officials say he detonated an explosive device after being turned away from a music festival being attended by thousands of people.

Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria's interior minister, said the contents of his backpack had the potential to kill and injure many more victims as it was filled with explosives and metal parts. Three people were seriously injured by the "deliberate" blast, and Mr Herrmann has warned he cannot rule out that the bombing was an Islamist terror attack.

At a news conference, he added: "Due to the situation in Syria, he was not deported. In spite of the rejected application, he was given exceptional leave to remain." A police statement stressed that there is no sign of any further attackers, and no arrests have been made. More than 2,000 people have been evacuated from the nearby festival, which has now been cancelled.

A large-scale operation involving police and rescue workers is under way, and a helicopter has been summoned to the scene. Germany has been on high alert following a series of incidents in recent days.

On Sunday, a Syrian refugee wielding a machete killed a woman and injured two other people in the German city of Reutlingen - the 21-year-old man was apparently acting alone and has been arrested.

And on Friday, nine people were killed in a shooting near a shopping centre in Munich, which was carried out by an 18-year-old who later turned the gun on himself."

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