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UAE strongly condemns school shooting that killed 9, injured 13 in Turkey
Turkey has strict gun laws that require licensing, registration, mental and criminal background checks, and severe penalties for illegal possession
- PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Apr 2026, 10:37 PM
The UAE has strongly condemned a shooting incident that took place at a school in Turkey on Wednesday, April 15, and resulted in several deaths and injuries.
A 14-year-old armed with five guns opened fire at a Turkish school on Wednesday, killing nine people, wounding 13, and sparking scenes of mayhem as students jumped out of windows to escape.
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The attack in the southern province of Kahramanmaras province was Turkey's second such incident in as many days, shocking a country where school shootings are a rare occurrence.
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed nine deaths, with 13 wounded -- six in intensive care, three of them in a critical condition. The minister described the attacker as an "eigth grade student aged 14".
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School shootings in Turkey had been rare until this week. In May 2024, a former student killed a private high school principal in Istanbul with a firearm five months after he was expelled.
Turkey has strict gun laws that require licensing, registration, mental and criminal background checks, and severe penalties for illegal possession.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) affirmed that the UAE expresses its strong denunciation of such criminal acts and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and extremism aimed at undermining security and stability.
The ministry also expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of the Republic of Turkey, and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured.
(With inputs from AFP)
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.