One gunman killed during attack near Israel’s consulate in Istanbul
Three assailants opened fire outside Israel’s consulate in Istanbul, wounding two police officers before being "neutralized" by security forces, authorities said.
ANKARA — Armed assailants on Tuesday opened fire on police officers outside Israel’s consulate in Istanbul, wounding two officers before security forces killed one attacker and captured two others following a shootout, Turkish authorities said.
Three assailants and a driver arrived in Istanbul’s Levent district, home to the Israeli Consulate General and a major business hub, and opened fire on police stationed outside a plaza housing the consulate, according to the Interior Ministry.
“Two of our police officers were lightly wounded in the attack,” Istanbul Governor Davut Gul told journalists near the scene, adding “One of the terrorists was killed, and two others were neutralized in a wounded state.”
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said the suspects have been identified but did not disclose their full identities.
He added that four individuals arrived in a single vehicle, three of whom carried out the attack. Authorities said the assailants had traveled to Istanbul in a rental car from neighboring Kocaeli province, about an hour’s drive from the city.
The Turkish Interior Ministry later Tuesday said the slain attacker, who was identified as Yunus E. S., had links to a “religion-exploiting organization,” without specifying the name of the group. The two wounded assailants, identified as brothers Onur C. and Enes C., were taken into custody. Officials said one of the two had a prior drug-related record.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said three prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the incident.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack. “We will continue our struggle against all forms of terrorism,” he said, speaking in a televised speech in Ankara.
The Israeli Consulate was not staffed at the time of the incident, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein told journalists later Tuesday.
Israel “strongly condemns the terrorist attack on the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a post on X, adding “We appreciate the Turkish security forces’ swift action in thwarting this attack.”
Tom Barrack, US Ambassador to Ankara, condemned the attack “in the strongest terms,” writing on X, “We commend [Turkey] and Turkish security forces for their swift and decisive response.”
This developing story has been updated.
