A 13-year-old boy stabbed and seriously wounded two students at a school in the UK, with witnesses reporting that he shouted “Allahu Akbar” just prior to carrying out the attack.

The assault took place shortly before 12:40 p.m. at Kingsbury High School in the Brent borough, just minutes before students were due to break for lunch. According to witness accounts cited by British media, a 13-year-old suspect suddenly produced a knife inside a classroom and attacked a fellow student, stabbing him in the neck and back. As panic spread and students screamed, the attacker allegedly turned on a second boy, aged 12, and stabbed him before fleeing.

Several students initially believed the victims were pretending to be hurt.

“The two boys were on the floor and the other kids thought they were just pretending,” the father of one student said. “But they didn’t get up. It was awful.”

Witnesses told the Daily Mail that the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack. Police have not confirmed that claim, but announced that their counterterrorism unit would take over the investigation.

After escaping the school grounds by jumping a fence, the suspect went into hiding. Officers launched a manhunt and arrested him about an hour later nearby. He is being held on suspicion of attempted murder, and the weapon has been recovered.

Investigators are also examining how the suspect gained access to the school. Media reports indicate he was not a registered student, deepening concerns about campus security.

Following the attack, students were kept inside the building for several hours while police conducted interviews. Many later left in tears, escorted by parents.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was praying for the victims and thanked police for their swift response. Mayor Sadiq Khan called the stabbing “shocking” and said such violence has “no place in our city.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)