Up to 15 people have been injured after a man with an axe went on the rampage on a German train.

The incident happened on the railway line between Wurzburg-Heidingsfeld and Ochsenfurt, central Germany.

A police spokesman said between 10 and 15 people have been injured, some critically.

Officers said some of the victims' injuries were life threatening.

❗ATTAQUE ALLEMAGNE : Suivi - L'homme qui a attaqué à la hache les passagers d'un train à Würzburg a été abattu. pic.twitter.com/0CsPkfL5ib — Infos Françaises (@InfosFrancaises) July 18, 2016

Local media is reporting that the perpetrator was shot dead by police as he attempted to flee the scene.

A special police task force was sent to the area to catch the kliller.

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The Bavarian Interior Minister has confirmed that the attacker a 17-year-old Afghan refugee who was living in the town of Ochsenfurt, Bavaria's interior minister said.

Joachim Herrmann told public broadcaster ARD that the young man, who was later shot dead by police, appeared to have made his way to Germany as an unaccompanied minor. Herrmann declined to speculate about the motive for the attack.

Polizei will sich jeden Moment bei meinem Kollegen melden. Noch ist kein Amoklauf bestätigt. #würzburg pic.twitter.com/CLZtTgPpXB — Christian Hüther (@huethi89) July 18, 2016

A police spokesman confirmed that there are currently three people critically injured, one has suffered non-life threatening injuries and there were 14 other passengers on the train. They are being treated for shock and therefore count as injured.

Authorities have organised an alternative bus route for passengers as the train line between Wurzburg-Heidingsfeld and Ochsenfurt has temporarily been shut down.

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