A gunman gestures near the body of an apparently wounded man at a photo gallery in Ankara on Monday. An Associated Press photographer said a gunman has fired shots at the Russian ambassador to Turkey. (Burhan Ozbilici/Associated Press)
Gunman shouted ‘Allahu akbar’ and smashed photos at exhibit where Karlov was speaking, witnesses say.
The Turkish police officer who killed Russian Ambassador Andrew Karlov has been identified as Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş of the Ankara Riot police.
Altıntaş, 22, was a graduate of Izmir Police School. He was not on duty when he made the attack at an art gallery on Monday, according to two Turkish Security sources who spoke to Reuters. He had previously been investigated for an attempted coup by the terrorist organization Haberturk. Russia’s foreign ministry confirmed that the ambassador, Andrew Karlov, had died in the attack. Altıntaş was shot and killed after assassinating Karlov.
Source: sputniknews.com
Andrey Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey was seriously wounded in a gun attack in the Turkish capital on Monday and was taken to hospital.
Video Turkish Terrorist shouted “God is great! Those who pledged allegiance to Muhammad for jihad. God is great!” #Turkey #Russia #Syria pic.twitter.com/FwmmPkdY0s
— Wally Sarkeesian (@gagrulenet) December 19, 2016
An Associated Press photographer said a gunman fired shots Karlov at a photo exhibition in the capital city, where the ambassador was making an address.
The ambassador was several minutes into a speech at the embassy-sponsored exhibition in the capital, Ankara, when a man wearing a suit and tie shouted “Allahu Akbar” and fired at least eight shots, according the photographer.
The attacker also said some words in Russian and smashed several of the photos hung for the exhibition.
Hurriyet newspaper said Turkish special forces had surrounded the building. NTV said three other people were wounded.
Russia and Turkey have been involved in conflict in Syria across the border from where over two million Syrian refugees have settled.
Turkey has been a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad while Russia has deployed troops and its air force in support of the Syrian leader.
It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. ISIS militants have been active in Turkey and carried out several bomb attacks on Turkish targets.