Gunman Assassinates Russia’s Ambassador To Turkey
ANKARA, TURKEY — In a stunning act of political violence, a gun-wielding man in a black suit and tie shot and killed Russia’s ambassador to Turkey Monday in what the assassin described as an act of revenge for Russia’s bombing of civilians in Aleppo, Syria.
Video captured at the scene shows the gunman shouting “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great,” as well as the Arabic words for “Remember Syria! Remember Aleppo!” as the ambassador, Andrey Karlov, lies bleeding on the floor next to him. The fallen diplomat had been speaking at the opening of a photographic art exhibition in the capital city of Ankara, titled “Russia through Turks’ eyes.”
The shooter has reportedly been identified as Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, a 22-year-old Turkish off-duty riot police officer.
He was subsequently shot and killed by Turkish security forces responding to the incident, which Russia’s Foreign Ministry is now calling a “terrorist attack.”
Russia has been actively bombing targets in Syria on behalf of embattled Syrian president and Kremlin ally Bashar al-Assad since September 2015. Russia claims it is bombing legitimate targets held by ISIS and the other “terrorists” who are fighting to topple Assad.
Source: Vox