Eight Students Injured in Istanbul School Knife Attack

Eight students have been injured in a knife attack at a middle school in Istanbul’s Başakşehir district, Türkiye, with one of the victims in critical condition.

The incident occurred on Tuesday morning at Şeyh Şamil Imam Hatip Middle School in the Kayaşehir neighbourhood of Başakşehir.

According to Turkish authorities, a 15-year-old female student from another school allegedly entered the premises wearing a school uniform and attacked students with a knife.

The suspected attacker, identified by her initials as F.M., was detained by police following the incident.

The Istanbul Governor, Davut Gül, said the students were attacked indiscriminately, while local authorities confirmed that the injured pupils were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said eight people were receiving medical attention, including one in critical condition and two others in moderate-to-serious condition.

The governor said five of the injured students sustained minor injuries and were expected to be discharged, while three others suffered more serious injuries.

The incident occurred at about 8:40 a.m. local time, prompting the deployment of police and medical teams to the school.

Security measures were subsequently increased around the school as authorities commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The Istanbul Governor’s Office urged the public to rely on official information as investigations continued.

The attack comes amid growing concerns over school security in Türkiye following a number of violent incidents involving students in recent months.

In September, a 15-year-old student opened fire near a vocational and technical high school in Manisa Province, injuring 11 people, three of them seriously.

Authorities have continued to investigate the latest Istanbul incident, including the circumstances that led to the knife attack and the motive of the suspected attacker.