Updated at 00:45 am on Sunday, April 29

XI'AN - The arrest of a male suspect has been approved after nine students were killed and another 10 injured in a knife attack near a middle school in northwest China's Shaanxi province on Friday, local police said Saturday evening.

The attack occurred at around 6:10 pm Friday near the No 3 Middle School in Mizhi County. Seven females and two males died, according to the local government.

The injured are receiving treatment in hospital. As of 4 pm Saturday, eight of the injured were recovering and the two critically injured are in stable condition.

Updated at 6:30 am on Saturday, April 28

XI'AN - The death toll rose to nine in a knife attack near a middle school in Northwest China's Shaanxi province on Friday, local police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred at around 6:10 pm Friday near the No 3 Middle School in Mizhi County. Of the dead victims, seven were female and two male, according to the local government.

A male suspect has been detained. The injured are receiving treatment in hospital.

Further investigation is ongoing.

Previous report

Seven middle school students died and another 12 were injured after being attacked after school at about 6:10 pm on Friday in Mizhi, Shaanxi province, the local government said.

Among the dead were five girls and two boys, and the 12 wounded - nine girls and three boys - are receiving emergency treatment at the hospital, according to a government statement. All the students are from No 3 Middle School of Mizhi County.