Turkey 'strongly' condemns deadly knife attack in Nice

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Oct. 29 that it strongly condemned the deadly knife attack in the French city of Nice.

"We strongly condemn the attack committed today inside the Notre-Dame church in Nice," a foreign ministry statement said while offering condolences to the victims' relatives.

The ministry said Turkey stood in solidarity with the French people against violence and terrorism.

A knife-wielding attacker killed three people in a suspected terrorist act at a church in the French city of Nice on Oct. 29, while a gunman was shot dead by police in a separate incident.

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Turkish Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said that Islam cannot be used in the name of terrorism and condemned the attack.

"We call on the French leadership to avoid further inflammatory rhetoric against Muslims and focus, instead, on finding the perpetrators of this and other acts of violence," Altun wrote on Twitter.

Altun also said Turkey would continue to confront any politician who insults its religion and values and renewed Turkey's call for cooperation against terrorism and extremism.