The anti-mass immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has hit out at German Chancellor Angela Merkel after Monday’s Christmas market attack, saying the victims are “her dead”.

A Pakistani migrant, named as 23-year-old Naved B, was arrested for allegedly driving a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens others.

Mrs Merkel has come under increasing pressure since her decision to allow in over a million migrants last year, with many calling for a drastic reduction in immigration.

Senior AfD member Marcus Pretzell tweeted Monday evening: “When will the German state of law strike back? When will this cursed hypocrisy finally stop? These are Merkel’s dead!”

He also accused the German media of keeping quiet about the motive, leaving it to the foreign press to report that it had been a terror attack. He described the German press’s silence as “perverse”.

German officials have said the attacker entered the country through the Balkans in January or February this year, and was believed to be living in a migrant centre at Berlin’s Tempelhof airport.

Other figures from across the world tweeted their anger and condolences.

French National Front politician Marion Le Pen wrote: “Solidarity with the German public, who have been heavily hit by Islamic terror.”

Her aunt, party leader Marine, said in a statement: “How many massacres and deaths will be necessary before our governments stop bringing a considerable number of migrants into our countries?”

She called for the “immediate restoration of nation borders” and halt to the redistribution of migrants across France.

The Front National leader also called for Washington, Paris and Moscow to form a strategic alliance against Islamist terrorism, and said security should be tightened not just at Christmas markets but also at Christmas Masses in French churches.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage also laid the blame squarely on Angela Merkel: “Terrible news from Berlin but no surprise. Events like these will be the Merkel legacy,” he tweeted.