Türkiye expands nationwide probe after school attack incidents in two provinces

Türkiye is continuing a broad, multi-agency investigation into recent school attacks in the provinces of Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş, officials said, with authorities focusing on both the incidents themselves and related online activity.

Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said the investigation is being conducted comprehensively across multiple fronts, including monitoring social media despite restrictions on posting, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media. 

Authorities have targeted accounts that allegedly shared footage from the attack scenes, spread misinformation, encouraged panic, or justified the violence. According to the minister, proceedings have been initiated against 130 social media account holders across 55 prosecutor’s offices.

So far, 95 people have been detained, while 35 others are still wanted. In addition, access has been restricted to 1,104 social media accounts linked to the investigation.

Officials also said individuals who allegedly spread false claims about planned school attacks, which caused further public alarm, have been identified. In connection with these cases, 67 people linked to 54 schools have been detained.

The investigation is being coordinated nationwide across 171 prosecutor’s offices in all 81 provinces, with involvement from both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education.

Earlier reports indicated that 87 arrest warrants had been issued as part of the expanding probe.

By Sabina Mammadli