Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement Monday night condemning the assassination of Russia’s envoy to Turkey, and warning the attack served as a reminder of the need to rein in the forces of planetary terror.
“Israel condemns the brutal assassination of Ambassador Andrey Karlov this evening in Ankara,” Netanyahu said. “We send our deepest condolences to his family and to the Russian people. 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.”
The U.S. State Department said in its own statement, “We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source.”
Ambassador Andrei Karlov was shot in the back at point-blank range at least eight times by an off-duty Turkish riot police officer named Mevlut Mert Altintas.
Turkey’s Interior Ministry said Altintas was born in 1994 in Aydin and graduated from Izmir police academy. Security officials confirmed he used a police ID to enter the art gallery. “It has saddened us and our people. I offer my condolences to the Russian federation and the Russian people,” Suleyman Soylu, the Turkish interior minster, told reporters.
Several other people were also shot and wounded in the attack. Altintas was eventually shot and killed by Turkish security forces.
The attack took place was the ambassador was speaking at the opening of an art exhibition in the Turkish capital.
Altintas is seen in the video yelling “Allahu Akbar!” (God is Great, in Arabic), and then saying in Turkish, “Don’t forget Aleppo. Don’t forget Syria. Unless our towns are secure, you won’t enjoy security. Only death can take me from here. Everyone who is involved in this suffering will pay a price.”
According to Britain’s The Guardian newspaper, he also shouted in Arabic, We are the one who pledged allegiance to Muhammad, to wage jihad.”
Several other people were also shot and wounded in the attack. Altintas was eventually shot and killed by Turkish security forces.
The attack took place was the ambassador was speaking at the opening of an art exhibition in the Turkish capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on national television Monday night that the assassination was intended to drive a wedge between Ankara and Moscow in order to disrupt diplomatic relations.
“The crime that was committed is without doubt a provocation aimed at disrupting the normalization of Russian-Turkish relations and disrupting the peace process in Syria that is being actively advanced by Russia, Turkey and Iran,” he said. “There can be only one answer to this – stepping up the fight against terrorism, and the bandits will feel this.” He added that a investigation team would be sent to Ankara to “know who directed the hand of the killer.”