Türkiye will step up efforts to enhance school safety following recent attacks that shocked the nation, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, stressing that no concessions will be made when it comes to ensuring the protection of students, teachers and families.
Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, President Erdoğan said the attacks, which took place in Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa, affected all 86 million citizens and plunged the country into mourning.
Ten people were killed, and at least 20 others were injured after a student aged about 13 opened fire in Ayşel Çalık Middle School in Kahramanmaraş. The fatal attack took place just one day after another shooter wounded 16 people and then killed himself in a school in the Şanlıurfa province a day earlier.
President Erdoğan said the government will introduce stricter measures targeting firearm ownership, including heavier penalties for gun owners who fail to meet their duty of care, particularly in cases where weapons are accessed by children.
He added that additional legal regulations will be enacted to further limit gun ownership and that a comprehensive policy document and action plan will be implemented. The president also stressed that authorities, including the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), are determined to take a tougher stance against violence and moral degradation in media content, especially on television.
“The pain that struck Kahramanmaraş has also struck the hearts of all our provinces,” he said, adding that authorities acted swiftly by dispatching four ministers to the region while officials, lawmakers and party representatives supported the victims’ families from the outset.
He emphasized that violence cannot be addressed through a single approach, highlighting the need for a comprehensive strategy that includes school environments, family dynamics, digital media awareness, deterrence measures and stronger institutional cooperation.
“Today’s world is no longer the same,” Erdoğan said, warning that children are increasingly influenced by digital environments, often spending more time online than with their families. He noted that digital interactions and social media platforms can have a profound impact on young people’s development.
Erdoğan also warned of the risks posed by unregulated online spaces and algorithm-driven content, describing the issue as a complex challenge requiring coordinated and multifaceted solutions.
Erdoğan noted that authorities are examining both attacks from all angles, including digital footprints, to determine possible connections, influences and contacts of the perpetrators.
He said eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the Şanlıurfa incident, while the father of the attacker in Kahramanmaraş – identified as the owner of the weapon used – has also been detained. Erdoğan added that he is closely monitoring the ongoing process.
Describing the incidents as unprecedented for the country, Erdoğan pointed to the broader impact of digitalization and globalization, saying such factors increasingly influence young people. He warned that the side effects of technology and internet exposure can manifest in harmful ways.
Referring to similar attacks worldwide, particularly in the United States, Erdoğan said such acts aim to terrorize society and create widespread fear. “These perpetrators seek to provoke public outrage in a manner similar to terrorist organizations,” he said.
The president also criticized certain media outlets, organizations and political figures, accusing them of making irresponsible statements that may have unintentionally amplified the attackers’ objectives. He urged restraint and criticized attempts to politicize the incidents before full investigations are completed.
“No one has the right to cause anxiety among our teachers, students and families,” Erdoğan said, calling for calm and a measured, collective response guided by reason and pedagogical principles.
