Russian ambassador to Turkey assassinated by police officer 'in revenge for Aleppo'

Russia's ambassador to Turkey was assassinated yesterday by an off-duty police officer in front of terrified witnesses allegedly in retaliation for the crisis in Aleppo.

The gunman - smartly dressed in a black suit and tie - reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" and said in Turkish "We die in Aleppo, you die here" after shooting Ambassador Andrei Karlov in the back

The attacker was fatally shot by police after killing Mr Karlov and wounding three others in what Russia's Foreign Ministry has called "an act of terrorism"

Mr Karlov, 62, was delivering a speech at an art gallery in the capital of Ankara when he was shot from behind in an attack caught on camera, and then shot at least once more at close range as he lay on the floor

The gunman - identified by Turkish officials as Mevlut Mert Altıntas - was a police officer who used police identification to enter Ankara's Centre for Contemporary Arts

The 22-year-old had been a member of Ankara's elite anti-riot police for two-and-a-half years

After killing the ambassador he reportedly shouted: "Don’t forget Aleppo, don’t forget Syria! As long as our brothers are not safe, you will not enjoy safety.

"Whoever has a share in this oppression will pay for it one-by-one.

"Only death will take me away from here."

Prosecutors said authorities raided an address linked to the shooter and his family, and Turkish media said the gunman's father, mother and sister had been detained for questioning.

A senior security official told Reuters there are "very strong signs" that the gunman belonged to the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who was accused of orchestrating a failed coup in July.

The unnamed official said the current investigation was focused on the gunman's links to the network.

One of Gulen's advisors strongly denied the allegations.

 

In a televised address Russian President Vladimir Putin, the most powerful ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said the assassination was a "provocation" aimed at undermining the "peace process" in Syria

Russian ambassador to Turkey assassinated by police officer 'in revenge for Aleppo'