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=== Motivation ===
=== Motivation ===
The motivations for the attack remain unclear. Although seemingly an act of revenge against Russian [[Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016)|military involvement in Aleppo]] as part of the ongoing Syrian Civil War, some have suspected [[Islamic extremism]] or [[Russophobia]] to be the cause of the attack. Allegations of [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|NATO]] involvement have circulated among government officials and commentators, as well as of involvement by the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) and the [[Al-Nusra Front]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/19/who-shot-russias-ambassador-to-turkey-it-could-be-a-lot-of-people.html|title=Any number of groups could have wanted Russian ambassador dead|date=19 December 2016|work=CNBC|last1=Kemp|first1=Ted}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nypost.com/2016/12/19/russian-ambassador-to-turkey-shot-in-targeted-attack/|title=Russian ambassador to Turkey killed in targeted attack|date=19 December 2016|work=New York Post|last1=Steinbuch|first1=Yaron}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ambassador-shooting-turkey-nato-security-services-andrey-karlov-a7485296.html|title=Russian MP blames Nato conspiracy for killing of ambassador in Turkey|date=19 December 2016|work=The Independent|last1=Kentish|first1=Ben}}</ref> – two groups which Turkey has been accused of supporting in the past.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/turkey-cut-islamic-state-supply-lines-erdogan-isis|title=Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it?|date=18 November 2015|work=The Guardian|last1=David|first1=Graeber}}</ref><ref>http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/cia-apologizes-to-turkey-over-isil-oil-trade-allegations.aspx?PageID=238&NID=107404&NewsCatID=358</ref> Turkish authorities are reportedly investigating Aydintas' links to the "[[Gülen movement|Gülenist Terrorist Organisation]]" (''Fetullahçı Terör Örgütü, FETÖ''); in a speech, [[President of Turkey|Turkish President]] Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that the perpetrator was a member of FETÖ.<ref name="ABCNews20Dec" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/cumhurbaskani-erdogan-ankara-da-siyaset-2365707/|title=Erdoğan resmen açıkladı: Suikastçı FETÖ mensubu|work=MİLLİYET HABER - TÜRKİYE'NİN HABER SİTESİ|last1=sitesi|first1=milliyet.com.tr Türkiye'nin lider haber|accessdate=21 December 2016}}</ref> The attack was praised by ISIL and [[al-Qaeda in Syria|al-Qaeda]] affiliated accounts on [[social media]].<ref name="Social media Heavy">{{cite news|url=http://heavy.com/news/2016/12/isis-islamic-state-tahwid-allahu-akbar-assassination-attempt-russian-ambassador-to-turkey-andrei-karlov-twitter-video-claim/|title=ISIS ‘Celebrates’ Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov|date=19 December 2016|work=Heavy.com|last1=Prince|first1=S.J.}}</ref> The words spoken by the assassin are similar to the unofficial anthem of the Syrian [[Salafi jihadism|Islamist]] rebel group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front).<ref>"[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/19/turkish-police-officer-shot-dead-russian-ambassador-andrey-karlov/ Mevlut Mert Altintas: The policeman accused of killing Russian ambassador Andrey Karlov?]". ''The Daily Telegraph''. 20 December 2016.</ref>
The motivations for the attack remain unclear. Although seemingly an act of revenge against Russian [[Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016)|military involvement in Aleppo]] as part of the ongoing Syrian Civil War, some have suspected [[Islamic extremism]] or [[Russophobia]] to be the cause of the attack. Allegations of [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|NATO]] involvement have circulated among government officials and commentators, as well as of involvement by the [[Salafist jihadism|jihadist]] movements of [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) and [[Jabhat Fatah al-Sham]] (formerly known as Al-Nusra Front/[[al-Qaeda]] in Syria)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/19/who-shot-russias-ambassador-to-turkey-it-could-be-a-lot-of-people.html|title=Any number of groups could have wanted Russian ambassador dead|date=19 December 2016|work=CNBC|last1=Kemp|first1=Ted}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nypost.com/2016/12/19/russian-ambassador-to-turkey-shot-in-targeted-attack/|title=Russian ambassador to Turkey killed in targeted attack|date=19 December 2016|work=New York Post|last1=Steinbuch|first1=Yaron}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ambassador-shooting-turkey-nato-security-services-andrey-karlov-a7485296.html|title=Russian MP blames Nato conspiracy for killing of ambassador in Turkey|date=19 December 2016|work=The Independent|last1=Kentish|first1=Ben}}</ref> – two groups which Turkey has been accused of supporting in the past.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/turkey-cut-islamic-state-supply-lines-erdogan-isis|title=Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it?|date=18 November 2015|work=The Guardian|last1=David|first1=Graeber}}</ref><ref>http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/cia-apologizes-to-turkey-over-isil-oil-trade-allegations.aspx?PageID=238&NID=107404&NewsCatID=358</ref> Turkish authorities are reportedly investigating Aydintas' links to the "[[Gülen movement|Gülenist Terrorist Organisation]]" (''Fetullahçı Terör Örgütü, FETÖ''); in a speech, [[President of Turkey|Turkish President]] Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that the perpetrator was a member of FETÖ.<ref name="ABCNews20Dec" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/cumhurbaskani-erdogan-ankara-da-siyaset-2365707/|title=Erdoğan resmen açıkladı: Suikastçı FETÖ mensubu|work=MİLLİYET HABER - TÜRKİYE'NİN HABER SİTESİ|last1=sitesi|first1=milliyet.com.tr Türkiye'nin lider haber|accessdate=21 December 2016}}</ref> The attack was praised by ISIL and [[al-Qaeda in Syria|al-Qaeda]] affiliated accounts on [[social media]].<ref name="Social media Heavy">{{cite news|url=http://heavy.com/news/2016/12/isis-islamic-state-tahwid-allahu-akbar-assassination-attempt-russian-ambassador-to-turkey-andrei-karlov-twitter-video-claim/|title=ISIS ‘Celebrates’ Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov|date=19 December 2016|work=Heavy.com|last1=Prince|first1=S.J.}}</ref> The words spoken by the assassin are similar to the unofficial anthem of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.<ref>"[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/19/turkish-police-officer-shot-dead-russian-ambassador-andrey-karlov/ Mevlut Mert Altintas: The policeman accused of killing Russian ambassador Andrey Karlov?]". ''The Daily Telegraph''. 20 December 2016.</ref>


=== Victim ===
=== Victim ===

Revision as of 16:35, 22 December 2016

Assassination of Andrei Karlov
Ankara is located in Turkey
Ankara
Ankara
Ankara (Turkey)
LocationÇağdaş Sanatlar Merkezi, Ankara, Turkey
Date19 December 2016; 7 years ago (2016-12-19)
20:15
TargetAndrei Karlov
Attack type
WeaponsTurkish Canik55 TP9 Compact 9 mm pistol[1]
Deaths2 (including the perpetrator)
Injured3
VictimAndrei Karlov
PerpetratorMevlüt Mert Altıntaş
MotiveUnclear

Andrei Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, was fatally shot by an off-duty Turkish police officer, Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, on the evening of 19 December 2016 at an art exhibition in Ankara, Turkey.[2][3][4][5][6][7] The assassination took place after several days of protests in Turkey over Russian involvement in the Syrian Civil War and the battle over Aleppo.[4]

External videos
video icon "Washington Post: Russian ambassador to Turkey assassinated in Ankara by off-duty police officer".

Background and motives

Russian and Turkish officials have held talks on brokering a ceasefire in Syria during the evacuation of Aleppo.[8] Russia, Turkey and Iran planned to meet to negotiate a settlement over the Syrian Civil War that would exclude the United States.[9][10]

The assassin shouted "Do not forget Aleppo, do not forget Syria" in both Turkish and Arabic.[11] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that the shooting was designed to disrupt the warming Russia–Turkey relations.[12] The New York Times suggested a possible motive was revenge for the Russian Air Force's targeting of rebel-held areas in Aleppo.[13]

Motivation

The motivations for the attack remain unclear. Although seemingly an act of revenge against Russian military involvement in Aleppo as part of the ongoing Syrian Civil War, some have suspected Islamic extremism or Russophobia to be the cause of the attack. Allegations of NATO involvement have circulated among government officials and commentators, as well as of involvement by the jihadist movements of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly known as Al-Nusra Front/al-Qaeda in Syria)[14][15][16] – two groups which Turkey has been accused of supporting in the past.[17][18] Turkish authorities are reportedly investigating Aydintas' links to the "Gülenist Terrorist Organisation" (Fetullahçı Terör Örgütü, FETÖ); in a speech, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that the perpetrator was a member of FETÖ.[19][20] The attack was praised by ISIL and al-Qaeda affiliated accounts on social media.[21] The words spoken by the assassin are similar to the unofficial anthem of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.[22]

Victim

Main article: Andrei Karlov

Born in Moscow in 1954, Andrei Gennadyevich Karlov was educated at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and the Diplomatic Academy. He began his career with the government at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR in 1976. Karlov went on to hold various diplomatic positions at the Russian embassy to North Korea. He had been Russian ambassador to Turkey since July 2013.[23]

Andrei Karlov is the fourth Russian ambassador to have died in the line of duty, the first being Alexander Griboyedov, murdered in 1829 in Tehran.[24] Pyotr Voykov, a Soviet envoy to Poland, was shot to death in Warsaw in 1927.[25]

Assassination

Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, had been invited to deliver a speech at the opening of an exhibition of Turkish photography of the Russian countryside.[26] The exhibition, entitled "Russia through Turks' eyes", was on display at the Cagdas Sanat Merkezi centre for modern arts in the Çankaya district of Ankara.[26]

Mevlüt Altıntaş entered the hall using police identification, leading gallery attendees to believe he was one of Karlov's personal bodyguards.[19] Karlov had begun his speech when Altıntaş fired one shot in the air in front of TV cameras, before giving the tawhid salute and firing several shots at the Russian ambassador from the back, fatally wounding him and injuring several other people.[4][27]

After shooting Karlov, Altıntaş circled the room, smashing pictures that were on display and shouting in Arabic and Turkish: "Allahu Akbar (God is great). Do not forget Aleppo, do not forget Syria."[4][7][26][28][29] Altıntaş was killed by Turkish security forces.[30] Karlov was rushed to a hospital, but died from his injuries.[4]

Aftermath

The next day, Turkish authorities arrested a number of Altıntaş' family members in his home province of Aydin, as well as his flatmate in Ankara.[3] Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also confirmed that a Russian investigative team was scheduled to arrive in Turkey on 20 December to assist with the investigation.[27]

Perpetrator

Mevlüt Altıntaş
Born
Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş

(1994-06-24)24 June 1994
Söke, Turkey
Died19 December 2016(2016-12-19) (aged 22)
Ankara, Turkey
Cause of deathShot
OccupationRiot policeman
Details
Location(s)Ankara
Target(s)Andrei Karlov
Killed1
Injured3
WeaponsHandgun

The assassin was identified as Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş (Turkish: [ˈmevlyt ˈmæɾt ˈɑɫtɯntɑʃ]; 24 June 1994 – 19 December 2016), an off-duty Turkish police officer. Altıntaş grew up in a secular family from the town Söke of Aydın Province in the Aegean region of western Turkey.[31] He graduated from İzmir Police School in 2014.[32]

A Turkish newspaper reports that Altıntaş had been suspended in early October for suspected involvement in the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, but returned to duty in mid-November.[33] Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan identified Altıntaş as a member of the Ankara riot police.[19]

Reactions

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussing countermeasures after the assassination

Many governments and heads of state condemned the attack and offered condolences to the family of Karlov and other victims of the shooting, as well as to the Russian people.[4][34][35]

While ISIL has not claimed responsibility for the assassination, it has been celebrated by its supporters.[36] Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) claimed responsibility for the assassination, according to a Russian government-controlled news agency.[37]

A Qatari journalist, Elham Badar, said the shooting was a 'human' response to 'Russian barbarism' in Aleppo and elsewhere in the conflict.[38]

Turkish reaction

In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a video message that "Turkey-Russia relations are vital for the region and those who aimed to harm ties were not going to achieve their goals", after having spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin, adding that they "both agreed the assassination of Russia's ambassador to Ankara by a gunman was an act of provocation by those looking to harm relations of our countries."[39] The Turkish Foreign Ministry pledged to spare no effort to not let "this attack cast a shadow on the Turkish-Russian friendship."[40] Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced that the street in which the Russian embassy is located would be named after the ambassador.[3]

Russian reaction

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: "Terrorism will not pass. We will fight it decisively."[41] President Vladimir Putin stated he believes "a crime has been committed and it was without doubt a provocation aimed at spoiling the normalization of Russo-Turkish relations and spoiling the Syrian peace process which is being actively pushed by Russia, Turkey, Iran and others". He also ordered heightening of security measures at Russian embassies worldwide, and stated that "we need to know who guided the hand of the murderer".[41][42]

References

  1. ^ "What Gun Was Used to Assassinate the Russia's Ambassador to Turkey?". thefirearmblog.com. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Mevlut Mert Altintas: The policeman accused of killing Russian ambassador Andrey Karlov?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Turkish police detain six after Russian ambassador shot dead". Reuters. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov shot dead in Ankara". BBC News. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  5. ^ Walker, Shaun; Shaheen, Kareem; Chulov, Martin (19 December 2016). "Russian ambassador to Turkey killed in Ankara shooting". The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Russian ambassador shot dead in Ankara gallery". 19 December 2016 – via Reuters.
  7. ^ a b Gumrukcu, Tuvan; Butler, Daren (19 December 2016). "Russian ambassador gunned down in Ankara, Russian agency says killed". Reuters.
  8. ^ "Turkey talking to Russia on ceasefire, evacuation from Syria's Aleppo".
  9. ^ "Russia, Iran and Turkey to hold Syria talks in Moscow on Tuesday". 19 December 2016 – via Reuters.
  10. ^ "Syria talks between Iran, Turkey, and Russia will still go on in Moscow despite ambassador's assassination".
  11. ^ Ari Shapiro (20 December 2016). "All Things Considered". NPR.com (Podcast). NPR. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Turkish police officer, invoking Aleppo, guns down Russian ambassador in Ankara".
  13. ^ Fisher, Max (19 December 2016). "Turkey, Russia and an Assassination: The Swirling Crises, Explained". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 December 2016. That may hint at his motive: The Russian Air Force was a key part of the Syrian government's successful assault on rebel-held parts of Aleppo, which included widespread attacks on civilians.
  14. ^ Kemp, Ted (19 December 2016). "Any number of groups could have wanted Russian ambassador dead". CNBC.
  15. ^ Steinbuch, Yaron (19 December 2016). "Russian ambassador to Turkey killed in targeted attack". New York Post.
  16. ^ Kentish, Ben (19 December 2016). "Russian MP blames Nato conspiracy for killing of ambassador in Turkey". The Independent.
  17. ^ David, Graeber (18 November 2015). "Turkey could cut off Islamic State's supply lines. So why doesn't it?". The Guardian.
  18. ^ http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/cia-apologizes-to-turkey-over-isil-oil-trade-allegations.aspx?PageID=238&NID=107404&NewsCatID=358
  19. ^ a b c "Who was the Ankara assassin?". ABC News. 20 December 2016.
  20. ^ sitesi, milliyet.com.tr Türkiye'nin lider haber. "Erdoğan resmen açıkladı: Suikastçı FETÖ mensubu". MİLLİYET HABER - TÜRKİYE'NİN HABER SİTESİ. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  21. ^ Prince, S.J. (19 December 2016). "ISIS 'Celebrates' Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov". Heavy.com.
  22. ^ "Mevlut Mert Altintas: The policeman accused of killing Russian ambassador Andrey Karlov?". The Daily Telegraph. 20 December 2016.
  23. ^ "Who was Andrey Karlov? What we know about the Russian ambassador to Turkey". The Telegraph.
  24. ^ "Четвертый на посту: посол России в Турции Андрей Карлов" [Fourth in the line of duty: Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov killed in Turkey]. Lenta.ru. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  25. ^ Bromwich, Jonah Engel (19 December 2016). "Who Was Andrey Karlov, the Russian Ambassador Killed in Turkey?". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  26. ^ a b c CNN, Catherine E. Shoichet and Nick Thompson. "Russia's ambassador to Turkey assassinated in Ankara". CNN. Retrieved 19 December 2016. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  27. ^ a b Shoichet, Catherine E.; Thompson, Nick; Grinberg, Emanuella. "Gunman shouted 'Do not forget Aleppo!' as he shot ambassador". CNN. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  28. ^ "Turkey: Russia's ambassador in Ankara killed in shooting attack by police officer". Haaretz. Reuters and the Associated Press. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  29. ^ "Russian ambassador to Turkey dead: Andrey Karlov dies after being shot in Ankara". The Independent. 19 December 2016.
  30. ^ Umar, Farooq; King, Laura (19 December 2016). "Off-duty police officer identified in fatal shooting of Russia's ambassador to Turkey". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  31. ^ Russian ambassador was gunned down by Turkish special forces officer Mevlut Mert Altintas – Daily Mail Online, accessdate: 20 December 2016
  32. ^ "El asesino de Andrei Karlov, un policía turco de 22 años". La Gaceta. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  33. ^ "Karlov's assassin stayed in hotel close to scene, took 11 shots". Hürriyet Daily News. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  34. ^ "Statement of the MFA of the Czech Republic on the Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  35. ^ "The Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  36. ^ "ISIS ‘Celebrates’ Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov". Heavy.com. December 19, 2016.
  37. ^ "Media: Jaish al-Fatah claims responsibility for murder of Russian ambassador". Russian News Agency TASS. 21 December 2016.
  38. ^ "Qatari journalist posts: Russia 'deserved' ambassador killing for its 'crimes' in Syria". The Independent. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  39. ^ Pamuk, Humeyra; Toksabay, Ece; Dolan, David (19 December 2016). "Turkey's Erdogan says Putin agrees shooting of ambassador was provocation". Reuters. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  40. ^ "Turkish MFA says won't allow killing of ambassador 'cast shadow' over Turkish-Russian friendship". DailySabah.
  41. ^ a b "Russian ambassador to Turkey assassinated in Ankara by off-duty police officer". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  42. ^ Osborn, Andrew; Pomeroy, Robin (19 December 2016). "Putin says ambassador murder is ploy to wreck Syrian peace process". Reuters. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
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