Istanbul church attack leaves one dead,
Reports state that the attackers' weapon jammed after firing the initial shot.
Jan 28, 2024 | updated: 4:43 AM EST, March 7, 2024
The motives behind the attack are currently unclear. A police operation is underway in Turkey to apprehend the culprits.
Following the attack, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly had a telephone conversation with the Polish consul, who was at the church during the attack, as announced by his spokesperson on social media.
The Polish Consulate in Istanbul issued an appeal through a statement, advising everyone to "exercise caution and adhere to the recommendations of local authorities" as the search for the attack's perpetrators continues.
Polish ministry of foreign affairs' statement on the Istanbul attack
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement regarding the church attack but did not confirm that Consul Leśniak was present during the incident. The ministry highlighted that "In connection with the attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul during a Sunday morning mass, our diplomatic and consular services are monitoring the situation."
Man killed in church attack identified as 53-years-old
As per Duvar's website, the victim of the church attack was a 52-year-old man. A recording of the attack shows that two men followed their victim into the church and then fired a shot as soon as they entered the building.
The Turkish portal stated that "witnesses reported that the attackers fled the scene on foot."
The victim's nephew admitted that his uncle was visiting the church casually and was "an innocent person, an absolute victim of this attack." He went on to clarify that the victim was a retired individual with slight mental disabilities.
