The Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, has been shot dead by a gunman who opened fire at the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition in Ankara.
21 December 2016
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that Karlov's murder is being "examined meticulously."
Calling the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey an “open provocation," Kurtulmus noted that the investigation is now focusing on the 22-year-old gunman and his "connections".
“It’s obvious that it’s a loud and clear provocation," Kurtulmus said, according to Hurriyet daily news. “We will never back down from our determination to take new peaceful steps in Turkey’s foreign policy, especially in the context of developing Turkey-Russia relations. We hope that these attacks will not negatively affect mutual relations."
The US State Department has dismissed claims of having had any involvement in the murder of Andrey Karlov. Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the US Secretary of State John Kerry that Fetullah Organization (FETO) was behind Karlov's assassination.
"It's a ludicrous claim, absolutely false, there's no basis of truth in it whatsoever," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
American based cleric Fetullah Gulen and his FETO group are accused by Ankara of staging the failed July 15 coup. The Turkish government claims it continues to infiltrate Turkish institutions, namely the military, police and judiciary, to form what Ankara calls a "parallel state".
"The secretary in his conversation with the foreign minister did raise his concerns about some of the rhetoric coming out of Turkey with respect to American involvement/support, tacit or otherwise, for this unspeakable assassination yesterday because of the presence of Mr. Gulen here in the United States," Kirby said.
20 December 2016
US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed his “deep condolences on the assassination of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov” to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and offered the US assistance with the investigation, US Department of State spokesperson John Kirby, said in a statement.
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told US State Secretary John Kerry that Ankara believes followers of the exiled US-based Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the failed July 15 coup, were behind the assassination of the Russian ambassador, as reported by Reuters.
US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed July 15 coup, has condemned the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov. “I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey,” the exiled cleric said in a statement, adding that he condemns “in the strongest terms this heinous act of terror.”
An plane carrying the ambassador’s body has landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. Previously, the Russian Foreign Minister said that he would personally meet the aircraft, which also has the ambassdor’s wife accompanied by a medic and a psychologist on board.
The 22-year-old Turkish policeman, who gunned down the Russian ambassador in Ankara, called in sick on the day of the attack and promised to bring a doctor's note for his supervisors, a senior security official told Reuters.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has canceled a visit to Ukraine which was scheduled for December 21-22 due to the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Ankara, an official from Turkish Foreign Ministry said, as cited by RIA Novosti.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said it has already been decided to rename the Ankara street on which the Russian embassy is located as ‘Karlov Street’ in honor of the assassinated Russian ambassador.
“We made a decision, I was informed about it yesterday by Turkish Prime Minister, to honor the memory of Mr. Karlov … the street where the embassy of the Russian Federation is located will be renamed after Andrey Karlov,” he said.
Ankara will make every effort to investigate the Russian ambassador's murder and those guilty will be punished, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during the meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Tuesday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu have paid tribute to the late Ambassador Andrey Karlov near the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow, RIA Novosti reported. Both ministers laid flowers and observed a minute of silence.
Russia has thanked Turkey for its immediate reaction for the “barbaric murder” of the Russian ambassador, Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent his condolences to Russia's President Vladimir Putin over the killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The body of the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, will be delivered to Russia on Tuesday, the Russian Embassy in Ankara said, adding that high-level officials will take part in airport memorial service.
A team of 18 specialists from the Russian Foreign Ministry and Investigative Committee have headed to Turkey to help investigate the murder of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov added that the group’s arrival in Turkey was agreed between Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
19 December 2016
The team of Russian investigators to probe the murder of ambassador Andrey Karlov will travel to Turkey on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced. Lavrov added that the diplomat’s murder will be jointly investigated by Moscow and Ankara.
The Russian Foreign Minister also noted that the murder of the Russian ambassador was carried out to derail Russian-Turkish efforts in fighting terror.
"We are convinced that those who planned this barbaric act aimed to undermine the process of normalization of Russian-Turkish relations, mainly in order to prevent effective counter-terrorist measures in Syria," Lavrov said.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also condemned the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, as he sent his deepest condolences to Karlov's family and to the Russian people.
“Israel condemns the brutal assassination of Ambassador Andrey Karlov this evening in Ankara,” Netanyahu's office said in a statement. “The murder of a diplomat serves as a stark reminder of the need for the civilized world to come together in fighting the forces of terrorism.”
US President-elect, Donald Trump, has offered his condolences to the family of murdered ambassador Andrey Karlov, calling the killing of the diplomat in Ankara a "violation" of "civilized order" by a radical Islamist.
Turkish police have detained five people after the murder of the Russian diplomat, Ria reports. Police arrested the attacker's father and two unidentified persons. Earlier, local media reported about the detention of the killer’s mother and sisters.
US President Barack Obama was briefed by the National Security Team on the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, as he headed off to a golf course in Hawaii.
"This morning the President was briefed by his National Security Team on the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey in Ankara today. The President directed his team to provide updates as warranted," Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said in a memo.
The National Security Council has meanwhile condemned the attack.
“This heinous attack on a member of the diplomatic corps is unacceptable,” said National Security Council spokesman Ned Price. "We stand united with Russia and Turkey in our determination to confront terrorism in all of its forms."
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into the assassination of Moscow's ambassador to Turkey under "act of international terrorism."
Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs, Suleyman Soylu, Health Minister Recep Akdağ and Minister of National Defence Fikri Isik accompanied Marina Karlov, the widow of the slain Russian ambassador Andrey Karlov to the hospital where his body was brought after his assassination in Turkey.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey, describing the murder of Andrey Karlov as a "senseless act of terror" which has "no justification."
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council called the murder of the Russian diplomat an "act of terror", as 15 members of the chamber called on the perpetrators of the attack to be brought to justice.
The Russian Red Cross has sent condolences to the families and friends of the Russian ambassador gunned down in Ankara.
"This unprecedented crime once again shows the true nature of the international criminal community, [conducted] under the black banner of religious fanaticism and intolerance," the NGO said in a statement.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the shooting of Russia’s ambassador in Ankara a provocation, aimed at destroying bilateral ties. The Turkish leader "strongly" and "vehemently" condemned the assassination of Andrey Karlov.
"I believe this is an attack on Turkey, the Turkish state and the Turkish people, and also a clear provocation ... [in terms of] Turkish-Russian relations. I am sure our Russian friends also see this fact," Erdogan said. ”Both Turkey and Russia have the will not to be deceived by this provocation.”
The Turkish leader also confirmed the identity of the attacker as 22-year-old Turkish riot police officer Mevlut Mert Altintas. Erdogan also added that a joint commission with Russia would be established to investigate the murder.
"All the security measures around the Russian embassy and consulate general have been tightened as we agreed with Mr. Putin," Erdogan noted. "Our relations with Russia are significant … I am calling on those who aim to destroy our relations: You are waiting in vain. You will never reach your goals,” Anadolu reported.
US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen strongly condemned the attack and has absolutely no links to the gunman, Alp Aslandogan, Gulen’s advisor on media issues, told Reuters. "Mr. Gulen categorically condemns this heinous act,” he stressed.
The head of the OSCE, Lamberto Zannier, has urged the international community to build "a united front against terrorism."
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusgolu, who is currently visiting Moscow, said that the murder of the Russian ambassador in Ankara hasn’t affected relations between the two countries, which will work together on the investigation, Reuters reported.
Speaking live on Turkish television, Cavusgolu praised the deceased Karlov, saying he was a “great man” and a “great diplomat.”
Turkish President Erdogan said that in a telephone call with Russian President Putin they had agreed that more joint efforts should be put into fighting terrorism, according to Reuters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the murder of the Russian ambassador “a clear provocation” aimed at undermining the normalization of Russia-Turkey relations and the peace process in Syria, which is being mediated by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries.
“The only response we should offer to this murder is stepping up to it, and terrorists will feel the heat,” Putin said in a statement.
A senior Turkish security official said there are “very strong signs” that the gunman was linked to the network of exiled US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, Reuters reported. He also added that the current investigation is trying to establish links.
The three people also wounded in the attack were Turkish citizens, Turkish Interior Minister Soylu told reporters.
Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov worked hard to help Russia and Turkey overcome a crisis in relations after an SU-24 jet was downed near the Syrian-Turkey border, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told Rossiya-24 news channel.
“Ambassador Karlov who worked in Turkey for a long time personally contributed to developing bilateral ties with Turkey.”
“This is a great loss not only for us, but for the whole world, because our ambassador focused his efforts on settling the Syrian crisis and bringing stability to the region,” Zakharova said.
According to local media, Turkish police have detained the attacker's mother and sister.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that three other people wounded in the attack are not in a serious condition, and that one has already been released from hospital, according to Reuters.
Another video emerged online showing the gunman through the window of the exhibition hall from outside.
Turkish Interior Monister Suleyman Soylu has confirmed that the attacker served in the Turkish riot police, according to Reuters.
The US is ready to assist Russia and Turkey in their investigations into the tragedy, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Reuters reported.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu condemned the “lowly terrorist attack” on the Russian ambassador and pledged not to let it “cast a shadow” over the friendship between Russia and Turkey, Reuters reported.
EU Parliament President Martin Schulz has offered his condolences to the family of Andrey Karlov and said he expected all details of the murder to be established, RIA Novosti reported.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe into the assassination of the Russian ambassador under a terror act article, the committee reported.
“I condemn the assassination of Russia's ambassador to Ankara. This is an attack on Turkey's stability, which targets international prestige,” a tweet posted by former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.
The Turkish embassy has offered its condolences to Russia, calling the murder of Ambassador Karlov “an inhumane tragedy”.
“An inhumane tragedy occurred today with our distinguished colleague Andrey Karlov,” the Turkish embassy said, according to TASS. “There is no person in their right mind who would not condemn this evil act,” the mission said. “We grieve with all our hearts. We bring our deepest condolences to the people of Russia. This is our shared pain and loss.”
A picture allegedly showing the perpetrator’s personal file, apparently proving he was indeed a police officer, was posted on social media.
French President Francois Hollande has “forcefully” condemned the assassination of the Russian ambassador on his official Twitter account.
Unconfirmed photos of the gunman’s dead body are circulating on social media.
UK’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson expressed his condolences to the family of the killed ambassador and condemned the attack on his Twitter.
The gunman has been identified as a Turkish police officer, Ankara mayor Melih Gokcek said, according to AFP.
RIA Novosti also says the attacker showed a police officer badge when entering the exhibition hall.
The attack has been aimed at running the relations between Russia and Turkey, Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek said, according to Reuters.
Russia views the attack as a terrorist act and will raise the matter at a UN Security Council meeting, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov has died of his wounds, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
Turkish authorities have stepped up security at the Russian embassy in Ankara following the attack, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports.
The German embassy in Turkey condemned the attack in a tweet.
The attacker reportedly identified himself as a police officer as he entered the exhibition, a Turkish military source told Interfax.
“We have information, from one of the witnesses, that the attacker presented himself as a police officer, showing the relevant ID at the entrance. This information is being checked right now,” the source is quoted as saying.
The perpetrator, who was wearing a suit and a tie, shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘God is great’ in Arabic) during the attack, AP reports, citing their own photographer. The attacker also said several words in Russian, according to the news agency, and damaged several of the photos at the expo.
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Reacting to the assault on the Russian ambassador, the US State Department expressed its condemnation.
Photos have been circulating online reportedly featuring the gunman.
The gunman is dead, Turkish NTV broadcaster reports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will receive reports on the attack from the Foreign Ministry and the heads of the intelligence services, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The attacker has been “neutralized” by police, the Turkish Anadolu news agency reported.
Three other people were also injured in the attack on the ambassador, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported.
Witnesses report a shootout between police and the attacker, according to RIA Novosti.
The attack has been confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“An unknown person opened fire during a public event in Ankara. As a result, the Russian ambassador to Turkey received a gunshot wound,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told journalists.