Two assailants were apprehended with injuries on Monday morning, local time, following a confrontation in Istanbul.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul informed reporters that two police officers sustained minor injuries during the incident. The attackers were armed with long-barreled weapons.
According to Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti, the attackers had traveled to Istanbul from Izmit, a city approximately 100 kilometers east of Istanbul, using a rented vehicle. He shared this information on X, the social media platform.
Among the attackers, one individual was connected to a group that Cifti characterized as “exploiting religion,” though he did not specify the name of the organization.
It’s worth noting that the Islamic State has previously orchestrated deadly attacks within Turkey.
The injured assailants, identified as brothers Onur C and Enes C, are currently in custody.
The first has a criminal record related to drugs. Both are being interrogated, according to the Interior Ministry.
Video from the attack showed one assailant carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle, wearing a brown backpack, and hiding behind a bus when exchanging fire with police.
A police officer falls to the ground, apparently having been shot, and then rolls away to get behind a tree for cover.
One of the police officers was injured in the leg while the other in the ear, the Interior Ministry said.
The consulate is located in a high-rise building in Levent, one of the city’s main business districts.
Officials said there are no Israeli diplomats present in Israeli missions in Turkey. Israel withdrew its diplomats amid security concerns and deteriorating relations with Turkey, following the war in Gaza.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said three prosecutors, including a deputy chief prosecutor, have been assigned to lead an investigation.
The US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, condemned the attack and praised Turkish authorities for “their swift and decisive response”.
“Attacks on diplomatic missions are attacks on the international order â and an assault on the principles that bind nations together,” he wrote on X.
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