Russia's ambassador to Turkey killed in gun attack

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Russia's ambassador to Turkey has been shot and killed in a gun attack at a photography exhibition in the Turkish capital Ankara.

In a live televised statement, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry said Mr Karlov - who was taken to hospital following the shooting - had died of his wounds, and also branded the attack a "terrorist act".

"Today in Ankara as a result of an attack, the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Turkey, Andrey Gennadyevich Karlov, received a wound from which he died," Ms Zakharova said.

She continued: "We regard this as a terrorist act.

"Terrorism will not win and we will fight against it decisively.

"The memory of an outstanding Russian diplomat, Andrey Gennadyevich Karlov, a person who did a great deal to fight terrorism in his diplomatic post, will always be in our hearts."

Ms Zakharova said the shooting would be raised at the UN Security Council later on Monday.



Footage from the scene shows Mr Karlov making a speech when he is shot and falls to the floor.

The suspected gunman, who is seen wearing a suit, then raises his gun and shouts: "God is great. Don't forget Aleppo and Syria. Those who caused this cruelty in Syria will pay for this. You will take me only when I am dead."

Screaming can also be heard in the background.

Witnesses reported at least eight shots were fired in total.

Turkish security sources said the suspected gunman was a police officer who worked in Ankara, but was not on duty when the attack took place.

Turkish police shot and killed the gunman.

A photo from the scene appeared to show four people, including the ambassador, lying on the ground in the gallery.

A witness to the shooting who did not wish to be identified said: "He [the suspected gunman] took out his gun and shot the ambassador from behind. We saw him lying on the floor and then we ran out."

Another witness said that while gunfire continued after Mr Karlov was shot, it had now stopped.

Russian media reported that security had been increased around the embassy in Ankara following the attack.

The mayor of the city added that the attack was an attempt to ruin relations between Turkey and Russia.

Melih Gokcek made the comments outside the hospital where Mr Karlov was taken.

A senior Russian Parliamentarian said talks between Russia, Turkey and Iran on the future of Syria will still take place in Moscow on Tuesday despite the killing.

The United Nations condemned the attack and called for the perpetrator to be brought to justice.

Russia is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes were instrumental in helping Syrian forces end rebel resistance in helping Syrian forces end rebel resistance in Aleppo.

Relations between Moscow and Ankara have been fraught over the situation in Syria, with the two supporting opposing sides.

Prime Minister Theresa May reported the shooting to MPs while speaking in the House of Commons, saying the then-breaking news was a "matter of concern".

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson could be seen leaving the chamber immediately after the Prime Minister's announcement.

Source

[Iroscato]

The only reaction I can muster right now is "oh...shit."

[wautd]

I saw the images going around. It looks very surreal

[FireNexus]

I have no evidence to back this up, but I smell a CIA influence. "We're going to retaliate against Russia" and three days later a random cop starts taking shots at the Russian relationship with their key ally in the Syrian war? Could be random violence, but could very well be intentional mucking.

I guess we'll only be able to know if this actually starts causing tension between Turkey and Russia. I don't really know how warm relations are from the jump.

[Honorius]

I have no evidence to back this up, but I smell a CIA influence. "We're going to retaliate against Russia" and three days later a random cop starts taking shots at the Russian relationship with their key ally in the Syrian war? Could be random violence, but could very well be intentional mucking.

I guess we'll only be able to know if this actually starts causing tension between Turkey and Russia. I don't really know how warm relations are from the jump.

It would be immensely stupid if Obama ordered this, which is doubtful, as that is a clear act of war. Seeing as he is leaving in roughly 30 days, if it came out he ordered the hit, Trump would throw him to Putin so fast it wouldn't be funny. Putin has how many black belts now?

In any event evidence is pointing to Gulenist involvement. If proven its another mark against Obama for protecting a known terrorist and his network to be added to his legacy which we'll spend decades cleaning up.

This also validates Erdogans dismissal of large bodies of officials from the state, who knows how much worse this could have been if more like this off-duty cop had been allowed to remain in service. Luckily Trump recognizes Gulen for the Terrorist he is along with his Security Team and work can begin sending that goon back to Turkey to face justice.

[Thanas]

I have no evidence to back this up, but I smell a CIA influence. "We're going to retaliate against Russia" and three days later a random cop starts taking shots at the Russian relationship with their key ally in the Syrian war? Could be random violence, but could very well be intentional mucking.

I guess we'll only be able to know if this actually starts causing tension between Turkey and Russia. I don't really know how warm relations are from the jump.

It would be immensely stupid if Obama ordered this, which is doubtful, as that is a clear act of war. Seeing as he is leaving in roughly 30 days, if it came out he ordered the hit, Trump would throw him to Putin so fast it wouldn't be funny. Putin has how many black belts now?

In any event evidence is pointing to Gulenist involvement. If proven its another mark against Obama for protecting a known terrorist and his network to be added to his legacy which we'll spend decades cleaning up.

This also validates Erdogans dismissal of large bodies of officials from the state, who knows how much worse this could have been if more like this off-duty cop had been allowed to remain in service. Luckily Trump recognizes Gulen for the Terrorist he is along with his Security Team and work can begin sending that goon back to Turkey to face justice.

Because you are just hiding from me now:

ADDRESS THE ISSUE I ALREADY EMAILED YOU ABOUT IN THE OTHER THREAD.

http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic. ... 2&t=165835

[Thanas]

Also there is no evidence at all linking him to Gülen, only the word of Erdogan supporters.

[FireNexus]

I have no evidence to back this up, but I smell a CIA influence. "We're going to retaliate against Russia" and three days later a random cop starts taking shots at the Russian relationship with their key ally in the Syrian war? Could be random violence, but could very well be intentional mucking.

I guess we'll only be able to know if this actually starts causing tension between Turkey and Russia. I don't really know how warm relations are from the jump.

It would be immensely stupid if Obama ordered this, which is doubtful, as that is a clear act of war. Seeing as he is leaving in roughly 30 days, if it came out he ordered the hit, Trump would throw him to Putin so fast it wouldn't be funny. Putin has how many black belts now?

In any event evidence is pointing to Gulenist involvement. If proven its another mark against Obama for protecting a known terrorist and his network to be added to his legacy which we'll spend decades cleaning up.

This also validates Erdogans dismissal of large bodies of officials from the state, who knows how much worse this could have been if more like this off-duty cop had been allowed to remain in service. Luckily Trump recognizes Gulen for the Terrorist he is along with his Security Team and work can begin sending that goon back to Turkey to face justice.

Dude... Turkish official blaming Gulen for an event is not evidence that Gulen was involved. Turkish officials would blame Gulen for a lack of rain if they had one.

Also, your claim that it would be stupid for Obama to order this pretty well confirms that it was a very smart move if he did it.

[FireNexus]

The similarity of honorious baseless shitposting to domestic Trump supporters makes me more worried for my country than I was already.

[FireNexus]

Evidence of Gulenist involvement in the failure to eliminate Erdogan's bedbug infestation is pouring in.

[FireNexus]

Evidence of Gulenist involvement in the infection of Erdogan's favorite prostitute with syphillis is pouring in.

[FireNexus]

Evidence of Gulenist involvement in the failure of Erdogan's prized begonias this season is pouring in.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Evidence of Gulenist involvement in the failure of Erdogan's prized begonias this season is pouring in.

You will cease the one-line shitposts immediately. Yes Honorius is a flaming moron. We know this. Now you are just beating a dead horse.

[Simon_Jester]

Also, your claim that it would be stupid for Obama to order this pretty well confirms that it was a very smart move if he did it.

To be fair, that specific claim might be a case of the proverbial stopped clock being right twice a day.

The CIA might have been able to arrange something like this on relatively short notice in theory, but this specific act is a better way to strike at Turkey than at Russia. A confrontation between Turkey and Russia is likely to end in a way advantageous to Russia, because Russia is larger and more powerful.

The only way it would make sense as a way for the US to strike at Russia is if we assume that this will result in Russia getting 'bogged down' in costly efforts to fight or suppress Turkey. But that would be very indirect and unreliable, as well as being risky.

[FireNexus]

Also, your claim that it would be stupid for Obama to order this pretty well confirms that it was a very smart move if he did it.

To be fair, that specific claim might be a case of the proverbial stopped clock being right twice a day.

The CIA might have been able to arrange something like this on relatively short notice in theory, but this specific act is a better way to strike at Turkey than at Russia. A confrontation between Turkey and Russia is likely to end in a way advantageous to Russia, because Russia is larger and more powerful.

The only way it would make sense as a way for the US to strike at Russia is if we assume that this will result in Russia getting 'bogged down' in costly efforts to fight or suppress Turkey. But that would be very indirect and unreliable, as well as being risky.

Turkey is NATO. Russia has no advantage, in that instance. Because Turkey Is not just Turkey, but the combined military strength of all NATO states. So there is around zero chance of a Russo-Turkish conflict. And if you're going to pit a NATO member state against Putin pre-Trump, making it a state with a dictator also praised by Trump would be a wise move.

That said, if it turns out to be the result of a covert op, it could as easily be an effort to destabilize Erdogan as to have any impact on Russia. The police were the reason Erdogan squashed the coup. Having him purge the police again of "Gulenist sympathizers" could potentially leave him with not much in the way of support. Basically you'll have no power base in Turkey that will live under the impression that they're safe from the whims of Erdogan's paranoia.

Not that they were likely of that impression previously. But a much bigger coup looks a lot more attractive if the political purges continue into infinity.

You will cease the one-line shitposts immediately. Yes Honorius is a flaming moron. We know this. Now you are just beating a dead horse.

Sorry. Was being too cute by half.

[wautd]

I have no evidence to back this up, but I smell a CIA influence. "We're going to retaliate against Russia" and three days later a random cop starts taking shots at the Russian relationship with their key ally in the Syrian war? Could be random violence, but could very well be intentional mucking.

I guess we'll only be able to know if this actually starts causing tension between Turkey and Russia. I don't really know how warm relations are from the jump.

It would be immensely stupid if Obama ordered this, which is doubtful, as that is a clear act of war. Seeing as he is leaving in roughly 30 days, if it came out he ordered the hit, Trump would throw him to Putin so fast it wouldn't be funny. Putin has how many black belts now?

In any event evidence is pointing to Gulenist involvement. If proven its another mark against Obama for protecting a known terrorist and his network to be added to his legacy which we'll spend decades cleaning up.

This also validates Erdogans dismissal of large bodies of officials from the state, who knows how much worse this could have been if more like this off-duty cop had been allowed to remain in s

Yeah, such strong evidence
I get the feeling the current regime will always blame Gulenist involvement just because . Sick Cow? Bad weather? Gulenists!

[Simon_Jester]

Yeah.

There are two kinds of autocrats: secure ones, and insecure ones. Insecure autocrats will always, always designate some person who might hypothetically be their rival as the Great Enemy, and blame everything on them. Their paranoia fuels confirmation bias and they obsess over the risk.

The best kind of Great Enemy is, of course, one who has already fled the country. Trotsky, for instance- Stalin got a lot of mileage out of accusing people of being secret Trotskyites, and was able to pretty much completely purge the entire political hierarchy of his country multiple times over using that (among other things) as a pretext. Until there was basically no one left who was willing or able to even talk back to him, allowing him to build up his personality cult without interference.

Gulen is no Trotsky, but then Erdogan is a rather less competent autocrat than Stalin by all appearances.

[Broomstick]

I saw the images going around. It looks very surreal

I saw an unedited video, it's not "surreal", it's fucking sad and sick.

Of course, my culture also has huge issues with shooting someone in the back on top of everything else. That didn't help.

[Sidewinder]

Turkey is NATO. Russia has no advantage, in that instance. Because Turkey Is not just Turkey, but the combined military strength of all NATO states. So there is around zero chance of a Russo-Turkish conflict. And if you're going to pit a NATO member state against Putin pre-Trump, making it a state with a dictator also praised by Trump would be a wise move.

In this case, the Russian Ambassador was killed by a Turkish citizen, on Turkish soil. Legally, this would make Turkey the aggressor, wouldn't it?

NATO is a DEFENSIVE organization. If Turkey is seen as the aggressor in what other NATO members view as an UNNECESSARY war, those members will dump it like a hot potato. Remember how difficult it was to get France- a founding member of NATO- to support Operation Iraqi Freedom?

If the CIA is responsible, it's likely a rogue op, one Obama was too smart to sign off on. I doubt he's so fucking retarded as to ignore the possibility such acts would result in war with another nuclear power. Hillary Clinton might be stupid enough- she talked about imposing a no-fly zone over Syria, when everyone knows RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT are flying combat missions over that nation- but hopefully, she doesn't have the authority to sign off on something as stupid as assassinating a foreign ambassador.

[Gandalf]

In this case, the Russian Ambassador was killed by a Turkish citizen, on Turkish soil. Legally, this would make Turkey the aggressor, wouldn't it?

I think only if he was acting on behalf of the Turkish state.

Otherwise murders of foreign tourists in various countries might take on a new dimension.

[Thanas]

This isn't the 19th century anymore.

[Broomstick]

Not sure why there is all this speculation about the involvement of governments and security agency conspiracies when there is an abundance of lone wolves out there.

[mr friendly guy]

A lot of people in an attempt to make sense of tragedy try to find patterns in it, hence the conspiracy. In this case I have seen claims that he must have had help to get so close to the ambassador, as opposed to Turkish security forces made a mistake / were incompetent. If they weren't incompetent, obvious he must had help. RT or at least guests on some of their talk shows are happy to push this narrative, although I tend not to ascribe to malice what can be explained by stupidity so I don't buy it without more evidence.

[Lord Revan]

I've found that a lot if not all conspiracy theories forgot (or don't want to) ask one simple question "what is there to gain that is worth the effort for the members of the conspiracy?", if the conspiracy theorists even bother to provide an answer to that question it generally boils down to "nothing but they're gonna do it anyway because they're evil!" but obvious not as clearly.

[Sidewinder]

I think the conspiracy theorists are seeking new excuses to blame their favorite scapegoat for all the world's ills. Remember when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, and the Pakistanis claimed a laser was used to kill her? Or all the fucktards who blamed Jews for the 9/11 terror attacks, despite the fact OSAMA BIN LADEN personally stated he ordered the attacks, and that it was done in Allah's name?