A gunman was killed and two others were wounded in a shootout outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday. Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said the attackers had traveled from Izmit by rental car and that two of them were brothers. One attacker, named Yunus E.S. by the Turkish Interior Ministry, was shot dead during the exchange. The two wounded assailants were identified as brothers Onur Ç and Enes Ç. Two police officers suffered minor injuries during the incident, with one shot in the leg and the other in the ear, neither in life-threatening condition.
The Turkish Interior Ministry said the dead attacker was "connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion," understood to be a reference to the Islamic State group. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The ministry stated that "intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists," and interrogation of the two injured men was ongoing.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the incident a "heinous act of terror" and vowed to fight "all kinds of terrorism." He added that Turkey would "not allow the climate of trust in Turkey to be damaged by such vile and timed provocations as today's." Prosecutors in Istanbul opened an investigation into the attack.
The consulate has been empty for the past two-and-a-half years, with no Israeli diplomats currently stationed in Turkey. A spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the consulate was not staffed at the time of the attack. Governor Davut Gul said the attackers had used rifles and pistols in the assault and attempted to reach the seventh floor of the building. Video footage showed one assailant carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle and wearing a brown backpack, hiding behind a bus as he traded fire with police.
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it called a terrorist attack and praised the swift response of Turkish security forces. "We appreciate the Turkish security forces' swift action in thwarting this attack," the ministry posted on X. "Israeli missions around the world have been subjected to countless threats and terrorist attacks. Terror will not deter us."
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack also lauded Turkey and its security forces for "their swift and decisive response."
A gunman was killed and two others were wounded in a shootout outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday. Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said the attackers had traveled from Izmit by rental car and that two of them were brothers. The gunfight occurred in broad daylight in the Besiktas area, Istanbul's main business district, with gunfire continuing for 15 to 20 minutes according to a witness quoted by Reuters.
One attacker, named Yunus E.S. by the Turkish Interior Ministry, was shot dead during the exchange. The two wounded assailants were identified as brothers Onur Ç and Enes Ç. The interior ministry said Onur Ç had a criminal record related to drugs. Two police officers suffered minor injuries during the incident, with one shot in the leg and the other in the ear, neither in life-threatening condition.
The Turkish Interior Ministry said the dead attacker was "connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion," understood to be a reference to the Islamic State group. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The ministry stated that "intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists," and interrogation of the two injured men was ongoing.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the incident a "heinous act of terror" and vowed to fight "all kinds of terrorism." He added that Turkey would "not allow the climate of trust in Turkey to be damaged by such vile and timed provocations as today's." Prosecutors in Istanbul opened an investigation into the attack.
The consulate has been empty for the past two-and-a-half years, with no Israeli diplomats currently stationed in Turkey. A spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the consulate was not staffed at the time of the attack. Israel withdrew diplomats from Turkey after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war.
Governor Davut Gul said the attackers had used rifles and pistols in the assault and attempted to reach the seventh floor of the building. Video footage showed one assailant carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle and wearing a brown backpack, hiding behind a bus as he traded fire with police.
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it called a terrorist attack and praised the swift response of Turkish security forces. "We appreciate the Turkish security forces' swift action in thwarting this attack," the ministry posted on X. "Israeli missions around the world have been subjected to countless threats and terrorist attacks. Terror will not deter us."
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack also lauded Turkey and its security forces for "their swift and decisive response." Both statements signaled that the quick police action prevented what could have escalated into a more serious incident at a diplomatic facility.
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