Pupil injures eight girls in Istanbul school knife attack

Eight pupils were injured in a knife attack at a middle school in Istanbul on Tuesday, October 6, with one in critical condition and two in moderate-to-serious condition, according to Türkiye’s health minister. Police detained the alleged attacker, reportedly a 15-year-old girl attending another school, following the incident in the Kayabasi neighbourhood of Basaksehir district at about 8.40am local time.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said on X that there were “eight people injured in the incident – one in critical condition, and two in moderate-to-serious condition”. All eight were receiving treatment at local hospitals. Speaking to reporters, Istanbul Governor Davut Gul said the attacker entered the school wearing a uniform and stabbed pupils indiscriminately.

“Five of the pupils sustained minor injuries; they are likely to be discharged later today. Two are in serious condition. One is currently undergoing surgery,” he said. “The student who carried out the attack lives in the same neighbourhood and attends a different school. She entered the premises wearing a school uniform and stabbed the children indiscriminately.”

Local broadcaster NTV reported that the suspect was a 10th-grade student who had previously attended the middle school. Basaksehir District Governor Cemil Ozgur Onegi gave a lower injury toll in a separate statement, saying seven girls had been wounded.

“Seven female students were injured as a result of a knife attack carried out by F.M., a 10th-grade student,” he said, identifying the suspect as a pupil at a high school in another district. The Istanbul Governor’s Office said an investigation had been launched. Authorities have not disclosed a motive.

The incident follows other reported attacks involving teenagers at Turkish schools this year. In September, a teenager opened fire outside a school in western Türkiye, injuring 11 pupils, three seriously. Two school shootings on consecutive days in southern Türkiye in April also raised concerns about school security.