Gunman who killed ambassador denounced violence in Syria

The Russian ambassador to Turkey has been reported dead after a shooting Monday in the country’s capital of Ankara, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency.

Karlov was shot while touring a photo gallery at the Museum of Modern Art in Ankara. Three other people were wounded in the attack, Turkish authorities said.

Frightening news out of Turkey today, as Andrey Karlov, Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, was assassinated in what appears to be an attack motivated by Russia’s military presence in Syria.

The Russian foreign ministry said it was in contact with Ankara over the events, RIA Novosti reported.

The man shouts “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest“) and then talks in Arabic about pledging allegiance to jihad in Arabic, the footage shows.

Turkish police have fatally shot the alleged gunman, NTV is reporting.

Assad’s army, with Russian air support, has retaken nearly all of the city of Aleppo that was once Syria’s largest. One praised ” the martyrdom of the hero”, hoping that “everyone who killed Syrians will pay the price”. “Only death will take me from here”, the man reportedly said, while carrying a handgun.

The shooting will put increased strain on Russia-Turkey relations at a sensitive time, when both are involved – from opposite sides – in attemps to bring about a resolution of the conflict in Syria.

Karlov’s killing comes days after one of Russia’s biggest victories since it joined the Syrian war a year ago in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Altintas was born in the town of Soke in Aydin province in western Turkey and attended a special school for training future policemen.

Shocking photos have emerged from the conference, which was well-attended by photographers for local and worldwide agencies, of the gunman standing over the body of Andrey G. Karlov after shooting him from behind. Police killed the assailant after a shootout.

“We are now in contact with Turkish authorities who are assuring us that a thorough, comprehensive investigation will be conducted”.

Karlov joined the diplomatic service in 1976.

After the fall of the USSR in 1991, he had a posting as Russian ambassador to South Korea before returning to the North for five years in 2001. My thoughts are with his family.