China knife attack: Two killed and ten injured in mass stabbing at primary school

At least two people have been killed and ten others injured in a knife attack at a primary school in China.

The attack, at a school in Guixi city in China’s southern Jiangxi province, took place at around midday local time (4am GMT).

It was not immediately clear if children were among the deceased and injured, reported the BBC.

In a statement, local police said a 45-year-old woman, who allegedly used a fruit knife in the attack, had been detained.

One concerned parent who spoke to the broadcaster said: “I received the news at noon, and I was very shocked.

“My child is in the fifth grade and very young and has safely arrived home, but the school has not informed us of anything and has kept everything hidden.

“I am going back to comfort my child and to find out what exactly happened.”

A father, who also asked to be kept anonymous, added: “Of course, we are scared. It's not just the children; even we adults are very frightened.

“The class teachers handled it quite well; they immediately posted photos of the children in the parent group, saying the children were safe and that they had already locked the doors, asking parents to come and pick them up.

“They mentioned that the details of the case are still under investigation.”

It comes amid a spate of similar attacks in the country.

Last year, a man armed with a knife killed six people in a stabbing attack at a kindergarten in the south-east of the country.

A 25-year-old man was detained by police following the July 2023 attack at a nursery in Guangdong province.

And in August 2022, three people were killed and six wounded in a stabbing at a kindergarten in Jiangxi province.