Turkey condemns terrorist attack in Vienna

ANKARA-VIENNA

Turkish officials expressed solidarity with Austria in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack in the capital Vienna on
Nov. 2 night that killed at least three people and injured 15.

"Terrorism is the common enemy of all humanity. Sincere international cooperation is required against this scourge," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Twitter.

”Last night there were two heroes in Vienna. Recep Tayyip [Gültekin] and Mikail [Özer] did what a true Turk and Muslim is expected to do!,” Çavuşoğlu said in another Twitter post.

“Gültekin and his friend Özer were in Vienna's city center when they heard gunshots,” he related.

“Gültekin said they saw a gunman shooting a civilian passerby. Gültekin helped the injured woman but he got also wounded.”

“We are saddened to receive the news that there are dead and wounded as a result of the terrorist attack that took place in Vienna,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“We strongly condemn this attack, extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded," it said.

"As a country that has been fighting against all sorts of terrorism for decades, Turkey stands in solidarity with the Austrian people.”

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın also condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Austria.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Vienna. We express our condolences for those who lost their lives in this cowardly attack and wish a quick recovery for the injured. We stand in solidarity with Austria. We will continue to fight against all forms of terrorism,” Kalın wrote on Twitter.

Turkey’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also denounced the attack.

“Turkey stands with Austria and against terrorism. We share your pain,” Altun wrote on Twitter.

At least one person was killed and 15 others wounded in Austria’s capital Monday evening in a suspected terrorist attack by multiple gunmen.

Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told ORF television that one of the gunmen was shot and killed by the police and a major anti-terror operation was continuing to arrest the others.

“I would like to call on all our citizens to stay inside, stay at their premises and keep away from public places. An operation against suspected terrorists is still ongoing,” he said.

Several gunmen armed with rifles targeted people in six locations in Vienna’s city center around 8 p.m. local time (1900 GMT), according to the police.

One passerby was shot dead and 15 people were wounded, according to Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig.

Seven of the wounded are in critical condition, including a police officer.

Turkish man recounts brush with death in Vienna attack 

A Turkish man who was wounded in Monday’s terrorist attack in the Austrian capital told Anadolu Agency how he barely escaped death at the hands of one of the gunmen.

Recep Tayyip Gültekin said he was with his friend Mikail Ozer in Vienna’s city center when they heard gunshots.

He said they headed in the direction of the commotion and saw a gunman shooting a civilian passerby.

Gültekin helped the injured woman.

“After I carried the woman to a nearby restaurant, the terrorist pointed his gun at me,” he recalled.

He threw himself to the ground to avoid being shot by the gunman, who was carrying a long-barrel gun, but was wounded, he said.

“We got into my friend's car and went to the nearest police station to report the incident.”

Gültekin said that later, they saw that a police officer had been wounded from the clash.

Noting that medical teams could not approach the scene due to the conflict, Gültekin said he and his friend carried the officer to an ambulance.

They also helped an elderly woman they encountered at the scene move to a safe location, he said.

“I didn’t want to go to the hospital because the wound on my foot wasn’t that big,” he said, although the medical team with the ambulance offered to take him there.

“I didn’t want to be a burden because I thought there would be many injuries due to the conflict,” he said.

Noting that the buckshot was still embedded in his foot, Gültekin said: “Now that the situation has calmed down a little more, I will go to a hospital and get treatment.”