Fund collects donations for guard killed in Ankara US embassy attack

ISTANBUL

Screen captured from Mustafa Akarsu Family Fund campaign's website, Mustafa Akarsu(L).

The co-workers of Mustafa Akarsu, a security guard killed in a Feb. 1 suicide attack on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, have launched an online campaign to fund the slain guard's family.

"The Turkish government’s retirement program will only support Mustafa’s widow and children for a short time," said the campaign’s organizers, pointing out that Akarsu was in the process of receiving approval for a special immigrant visa.

Akarsu also planned to become an American citizen, according to the campaign, and wished to send his children to college in the U.S.
 
A special agent with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, as well as a supervisor of Akarsu, David Root, has spearheaded the campaign through a crowd-funding site.

The campaign also underlines Akarsu's bravery in protecting the U.S. embassy, as well as his 22 years of service.

The fund has collected $89,421 so far and will be open to contributions for the next 44 days.

Akarsu was killed while journalist Didem Tuncay was seriously injured when Ecevit Şanlı, a member of the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), conducted a suicide attack on the mission on Feb. 1.