Eight Killed in Afyonkarahisar Shootings in Western Turkey as Suspect Is Arrested

Eight people have been killed and one person seriously injured in a series of shootings in western Turkey. The attacks took place on Thursday, 5 November, in three villages in Afyonkarahisar province, and the suspect was later arrested in a neighbouring province after a manhunt.

What happened

The victims were found in several locations, in three separate vehicles, according to local reports. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported three people killed near Ayazini village and three near Kiyir village. In Yukaritandir village, two women were found with gunshot wounds on a road and later died in hospital. Another person was found in a critical condition.

The Afyonkarahisar governor’s office confirmed the deaths, saying: “Unfortunately, eight of our citizens have lost their lives, and one has been seriously injured in armed attacks in our province.”

Afyonkarahisar lies in west-central Turkey, roughly halfway between the capital, Ankara, and the coastal city of Izmir. Kiyir is about a half-hour drive from Yukaritandir, and Ayazini a further half-hour east.

The suspect fled the scene, triggering a large manhunt. CCTV footage published by Turkish media showed a man holding a rifle beside a faded red minivan. Police later found the vehicle stuck in mud on the outskirts of Eskisehir, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the north, after the suspect had abandoned it and fled on foot. Authorities later said the suspect had been arrested in Eskisehir province.

Why it matters

Shootings of this scale are rare in rural Turkey, and the attacks have shocked the small farming communities where they happened. With victims found in three different villages, police first had to work out whether one person was behind all of the shootings.

Investigators are also looking into whether the attacks are connected to an earlier incident in the centre of Afyonkarahisar, in which a woman in a car was shot and seriously injured.

What happens next

Police are now investigating the motive, which has not yet been made public. With the suspect in custody, officers are expected to question him about the shootings and about any link to the earlier incident in the city centre. Officials are also expected to release more details about the victims and the injured person as the investigation continues.

Sources

• BBC News — “Eight killed in series of shootings in western Turkey” (5 November 2026): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvj6jj21pd2ko
• AFP via Europe Says — “Eight dead in mass shooting in rural west Türkiye: officials” (5 November 2026): https://www.europesays.com/turkiye/69362/

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.