Russia’s ambassador to Turkey has been shot while visiting an art gallery in Ankara, Turkish media reported Monday, just days after protests in the capital over Russia’s role in the conflict in Syria.
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The Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov speaks a gallery in Ankara – moments before being shot and killed.
According to footage of the attack translated by Shaheryar Mirza, the attacker also yelled, “Don’t forget Aleppo, don’t forget Syria!” Only death can get me out of here.
The married father-of-one – who spoke Korean and English – served in the Russian embassies in both North and South Korea, before later returning to Pyongyang as Moscow’s ambassador to the isolated Stalinist state from 2001-2006.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said they are treating the shooting as a “terrorist act”.
“This heinous attack on a member of the diplomatic corps is unacceptable, and we stand united with Russian Federation and Turkey in our determination to confront terrorism in all its forms”, said National Security Council spokesman Ned Price. “Terrorism will not win out”.
Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, and President Vladimir Putin. It was not immediately clear whether there had been other casualties.
Russian officials at the embassy claim fundamental Islamist extremists are behind the attack, according to the Turkish Hurriyet newspaper. Mert Altintas, who was identified by an Egyptian journalist via a tweet, opened fire on Andrei Karlov while the ambassador was giving a speech at the opening photography exhibition.
Karlov has represented Russian Federation in Turkey since 2013 which has undeniably been a time of high conflict in the country.
Today’s talks in Moscow about the future of Syria between the foreign and defence ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey are to go ahead in spite of the murder of Mr Karlov.
The U.S. State Department, involved in diplomatic contacts with Russian Federation in an attempt to resolve a refugee crisis unfolding around the city of Aleppo, condemned the attack.
Russian Federation and Iran have backed Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Turkey has supported Assad’s foes in the four-year long conflict.
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While Russia has been instrumental in coordinating the evacuation of residents in Aleppo, it has also provided support to Bashar al-Assad’s repressive regime.
