Turkey strongly condemns assassination of Russian envoy

ANKARA

REUTERS photo

Turkey said it strongly condemned the killing of Russia’s Ambassador to Ankara, Andrey Karlov as a result of an armed attack vowing to arrest perpetrators and to bring them before the justice. 

“It’s been learned with great sorrow that Andrey Karlov, the Ambassador or the Russian Federation lost his life as a result of an armed attack during the opening of a photo exhibition,” the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on Dec 19.  

While cursing the attack, the statement informed that the gunman was neutralized vowing all the connections of this incident will be brought to light and responsible will be brought before the court. 

“Ambassador Karlov is a unique diplomat that earned appreciation of all state cadres by his professional and personal competences as he carried out successful works at a very difficult time in Turkey. His memory will always with us. We will not allow that this attack will overshadow Turkish-Russian friendship,” it added. 

The statement offered Turkey’s condolences to the people and the state of Russia. 

In addition, the Turkish Prime Ministry said it condemned the attack in a statement, adding that Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım called his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev. 

In a separate statement, Defense Minister Fikri Işık also strongly condemned the attack against Ambassador Karlov.

"It's attention grabbing that this attack has taken place before the meeting our foreign minister will hold talks in Moscow," Işık said in a statement.