Updated: Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey Shot Dead in Ankara
ANKARA, Turkey (A.W.)—Russia’s ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov suffered a fatal gunshot wound in an attack in Ankara on Dec.19. Though it was initially reported that the ambassador’s condition was unknown after being rushed to hospital, the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry has since announced that Karlov died in the attack.
“Terrorism will not pass! We will fight it resolutely. Memory of this outstanding Russian diplomat, a man who did so much to counter terrorism in his diplomatic line of work, Andrei Gennadyevich Karlov, will remain in our hearts forever,” director of the Information and Press Department of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova said after the attack.
Karlov, who has served as ambassador since 2013, was reportedly delivering speech at a photo exhibit in Turkey’s capital when he was shot in the back. Three other people were reportedly injured in the attack.
According to CNN Turk, further gunfire was heard and the gunman was “neutralized,” after special forces surrounded the building.
The gunman reportedly shouted “We die in Aleppo, you die here” before shooting Karlov. The attacker reportedly also let guests out of the exhibition venue after he shot the diplomat.
A photo released by the Associated Press showed a man wearing a black suit and holding a pistol was pictured next to a body lying on the floor, reported the Independent.
According to some sources, the gunman was been identified as 22-year-old Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, a police officer from the Ankara police special force department.
I hope this will wake the Russian BEAR…
Wow. Hypocrites much? The Turkish state, which has shed crocodile tears for decades about its diplomats who were murdered by ASALA, now itself engages in the murder of diplomats.
We need to bring up this terrorist act anytime a denialist says one word about ASALA.
A “Deep State” Turkey has no place in today’s civilized world!
very good blog
And supposedly security forces then shot the assailant. I would like to see evidence of that.
This Allahu-Akbar shouting terrorist is actually a representative of the Turkish government and also sent by them. More precisely, as Turkey is being forced to “negotiate” with Russia… on Russia’s terms, this was the only way by which a frustrated Erdogan could throw a sucker punch, but make it look like “we are on your side”, an old Turkish trick. Russia knows this, but in turn she has to make it look like there is agreement on the official level. Now what Russia will do to unofficially retaliate, remains to be seen.
Of course, the subsequent -convenient- elimination of the disposable terrorist was part of the planned operation as well. In fact it was a necessity, because it would instantly solve any potential problems for Turkey even before it came up. They did it with good experience as well, they were not going to make the same mistake they did with the Hrant Dink murder by letting the disposable terrorist live: a dead operative can’t talk, nor name any names.