Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey has been assassinated by a Turkish police officer who shouted “God is Great” and “Don’t forget Aleppo” as he pulled the trigger.
The gun attack, which took place as Ambassador Andrei Karlov was attending the opening of an art exhibition in Ankara, was swiftly condemned by Russian President Vladimir Putin as an attempt to sabotage Turkish-Russian ties.
According to Turkish authorities, the gunman, who also shouted “Until they [in Aleppo] are safe, you will not taste safety”, was killed by special forces. The killer apparently entered the gallery after showing his police identification. He was later identified in the media as Mevlut Mert Altintas, a 22-year-old officer in the riot police squad.
The assassination has been condemned by government’s across the world.
“We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” said the US Department of State.
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