In brief
In a dramatic shooting incident on the streets of Istanbul, one gunman was killed and two police officers sustained injuries during a confrontation near the Israeli consulate. The attackers, identified as being linked to a terrorist organization, aimed rifles and pistols at police but were met with decisive action. An investigation is currently underway as heavy police presence secured the area, which has been largely absent of Israeli diplomats due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.
A gunman was killed and two were injured in a shootout near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. Two policemen were 'slightly injured' in the gunfight, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said.Ciftci noted that the attackers had traveled to Istanbul from Izmit by rental car and included two brothers. The interior ministry identified the deceased gunman as Yunus E.S., allegedly 'connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion', which is presumed to reference the Islamic State group, though no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.Initially, police reported that two attackers had been killed, but local governor Davut Gul later clarified that only one had died. The injured attackers, Onur Ç and Enes Ç, are reported to be brothers as well. The two police officers shot during the incident were not in life-threatening condition, with injuries to the leg and ear.'Intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists, and the interrogation of the injured terrorists continues,' according to the interior ministry's statement. Governor Gul informed the press that the attackers utilized rifles and pistols during the assault, which occurred in broad daylight.Video footage on social media reportedly captured the moment police shot one armed attacker as gunfire erupted, described by witnesses as 'loud' over a sustained period. Subsequent reports revealed a heavy police presence around the building for several hours following the attack, which left the consulate secured and the area cordoned off. Notably, the Israeli consulate has been largely vacant for two-and-a-half years due to deteriorating relations between Turkey and Israel amidst the ongoing war in Gaza. An investigation has already been launched following this troubling incident.
