The Russian ambassador to
Ankara was shot dead in an attack at an art gallery in the Turkish capital on
Monday by a gunman shouting "Don't forget Aleppo".
A Russian foreign ministry
spokeswoman confirmed the death of envoy Andrei Karlov, which marked one of the
most serious spillovers of the Syria conflict into Turkey.
Russia is a close ally of
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes were instrumental in
helping Syrian forces end rebel resistance last week in the northern city of
Aleppo.
The Anadolu news agency said
the gunman had been "neutralized" soon after the attack, Relations
between Moscow and Ankara have long been fraught over the conflict, with the
two supporting opposing sides.
The attacker was smartly
dressed in black suit and tie, and standing behind the ambassador as he made a
speech at the art exhibition, a person at the scene told Reuters.
"He took out his gun and
shot the ambassador from behind. We saw him lying on the floor and then we ran
out," said the witness, who asked not to be identified.
A Reuters cameraman at the
scene said gunfire rang out for some time after the attack.
A video showed the attacker
shouting: "Don't forget Aleppo, don't forget Syria!"
As screams rang out, the
gunman could then be seen pacing about and shouting as he held the gun in one
hand and waved the other in the air.
Another photograph showed four
people including what appeared to be the ambassador lying on the floor.
Russia and Turkey have both
been involved in the conflict in Syria, which borders Turkey. Turkey has been a
staunch opponent of Assad, while Russia has deployed troops and its air force
in support of the Syrian leader.
The U.S. State Department,
involved in diplomatic contacts with Russia in an attempt to resolve a refugee
crisis unfolding around the city of Aleppo, condemned the attack.
Tensions have escalated in
recent weeks as Russian-backed Syrian forces have fought for control of the
eastern part of the city of Aleppo, triggering a stream of refugees.
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