An 18-year-old assailant carried out what is being reported by Turkish media as Turkey’s first neo-Nazi-inspired attack on Monday, stabbing at least five people outside a mosque in the western city of Eskişehir.
The attacker, dressed in military-style gear, including a helmet, bulletproof vest and goggles, was taken into custody by the police at the scene.
The attack took place in the early evening in the tea garden of Tepebaşı Mosque in Eskişehir, a city known for its large student population and tranquil environment. The assailant, identified as Arda K., was armed with a knife and live-streamed the attack on X, broadcasting the horrifying scenes to viewers online.
Witnesses described a terrifying scene as the masked attacker, dressed in a manner similar to characters from war-themed video games, began stabbing people without warning.
“The attacker was dressed like a person in a game, with an axe at his waist, wearing a bulletproof vest and a helmet, his face masked,” one witness told the Eskişehir Durum local news site.
🚨 BREAKING! NAZI ARMED WITH KNIFE ATTACKS MUSLIMS INSIDE MOSQUE GARDEN IN #TÜRKIYE
A Nazi man named Arda K attacked a group of Muslims in the garden of a Tepebaşı Mosque in Eskişehir and injured 7 people, one of whom was seriously injured.
The terrorist was wearing an assault… pic.twitter.com/HoHglx4JDi
— DOAM (@doamuslims) August 12, 2024
Initial reports suggested that seven people were injured, but authorities later confirmed that only five were wounded, two critically. The victims were rushed to nearby hospitals, where they are receiving treatment. As of now, no fatalities have been reported, but the condition of at least two victims remains critical.
What makes this attack particularly alarming is that it does not stem from traditional Turkish nationalist movements, such as the Grey Wolves, or any form of Islamist extremism, both of which have historically been associated with political violence in Turkey. Instead, this attack appears to be rooted in an ideology thoroughly imported from the West: neo-Nazism.
A thread:
Transnational ultra-right-wing violence has “officially” reached Turkey. In Eskişehir, a young man dressed in right-wing attire and wearing a mask stabbed several people after releasing a manifesto that clearly outlined his extremist ideology. 1/n https://t.co/g5OmvDkfYt
— Yusuf Can (@YusufCan_EN) August 12, 2024
The attacker’s appearance and the items found on him suggest a deep influence of neo-Nazi ideology. Photographs taken by the assailant and circulated online show him wearing a bulletproof vest adorned with the “Black Sun” symbol, a design associated with Nazi Germany and later adopted by various far-right extremist groups in the West. Additionally, one of the knives carried by the attacker reportedly bore a swastika, reinforcing the connection to neo-Nazi ideology.
Investigators also discovered a disturbing 16-page manifesto published by Arda K. on his Telegram channel before the attack. The document was filled with xenophobic, antisemitic and racist rhetoric, targeting various ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, immigrants and Jews. The manifesto explicitly referenced notorious mass murderers like Brenton Tarrant, who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, and Anders Breivik, responsible for a 2011 massacre in Norway. The document reveals that Arda K. had initially planned to attack the headquarters of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) but later shifted his focus to random individuals near the mosque.
This attack marks a significant departure from the usual forms of extremism seen in Turkey. Unlike traditional Turkish nationalist or Islamist extremists, who often target specific groups based on ethnicity or religion, Arda K.’s actions were indiscriminate, mirroring the kind of lone-wolf attacks that have been seen in the West.
Authorities are currently investigating the suspect’s background, particularly his online activities and any potential connections to extremist groups outside Turkey. Early reports indicate that Arda K. may have been radicalized through online platforms that promote far-right ideologies, often gaming communities and online forums.
Eskişehir'deki saldırının görüntüleri. Saldırgan, görüntüleri kendisi kaydetmiş.
Ülkemizde bu tür 'Nazi' saldırıları yoktu. Artık bunları da görmeye başladık, çünkü ülkemizde ABD'den ithal edilen bir aşırı sağcılık geliştirildi.
Ve bu tür saldırılarda sosyal medyanın payı çok… https://t.co/q0OVnKWNfS pic.twitter.com/WvTmuJfeNY
— Erkin Öncan (@erknoncn) August 12, 2024
The live-streaming of the attack is a chilling reminder of similar incidents in the West, where attackers have used social media to broadcast their crimes in real time, seeking notoriety and inspiring others.
While this incident may be the first of its kind in Turkey, some believe it was not entirely unexpected given the recent rise in far-right rhetoric online. According to observers, this rhetoric has found a receptive audience, as the attack shows.
Critics point out that a combination of economic hardship, bleak future prospects and a perceived lack of justice and rule of law is seen as fertile ground for the extremist ideologies that lead to violence.