Gunmen kill Turkish diplomat in Erbil
A restaurant shooting that left a Turkish diplomat and an Iraqi civilian dead has regional leaders rushing to Erbil to manage the fallout.
A Turkish diplomat and an Iraqi civilian were killed today when armed assailants opened fire in an Erbil restaurant, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, Turkish officials confirmed.
The diplomat, whose name and position have yet to be disclosed, was killed by two armed men who entered Huqqabaz, an eatery in Empire World. Many foreign companies have their offices and homes in the upscale complex owned by Kurdish Iraqi construction magnate Peshraw Majid Agha.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the death of the Turkish diplomat, saying, “The attack was organized by three people. They attacked two Iraqis as well. We are in contact with Erbil and Baghdad.” He continued, “When such an attack occurs the first thing that comes to mind is a terrorist attack. The fact that two Iraqis sitting at the neighboring table were also killed — or rather attacked; one was killed, one is said to be critically injured — needs to be explained in order for us to provide detailed information. When it is we will share it with you.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the “heinous attack,” tweeting, “Our efforts are ongoing with the Iraqi and local authorities to track down the attackers.” He gave no further details.
