A teenager has been detained by Turkish authorities following a stabbing attack at a mosque in Eskisehir, a city in northwestern Turkey. The incident, which occurred on Monday, resulted in at least five people being injured, with two in serious condition.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Tuesday that an investigation is underway, though the motive behind the attack has yet to be detailed. Local media have suggested that the attack, which was broadcast live by the 18-year-old suspect, Arda K, might have been influenced by a video game.
The attacker, who wore a helmet, bulletproof vest, and goggles over a mask, targeted the tea garden of the mosque. He was apprehended after a police chase. Reports also indicate that he wore a “black sun” symbol, associated with neo-Nazi imagery, on his chest. Although he carried an axe, it appears he did not use it during the attack.
The assailant did not provide any verbal explanation for his actions, and his appearance has led some to speculate that he might have been influenced by war-themed video games. The attack is part of a troubling trend of random knife assaults in Turkey, with a similar incident reported in Bingol province last month, where two people were killed and seven others injured. Additionally, an attack on the Fatih Mosque in Istanbul earlier this year also drew attention.