New Delhi:
Russia’s ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov was killed on Monday night in a blatant assassination while he was visiting an art exhibition opening in Ankara.Â
According to reports, the gunman who shot the ambassador was immediately neutralised by the police present at the spot. The gunman shouted out “Aleppo†and “revenge†as he fired, an eyewitness said.
 “When the ambassador was delivering a speech, a tall man wearing a suit fired into the air first and then took aim at the ambassador,†Hasim Kilic, a correspondent for the daily Hurriyet, told AFP.
“He said something about ‘Aleppo’ and ‘revenge’.†The attack came after days of protests in Turkey over Russia’s role in Syria.
The gunman’s shot gravely injured the ambassador, who was immediately taken to the hospital. However, he passed away soon after the attack.
Here are the updates:Â Â
11:49pm: US state department issues advisory:Â Reports of shooting near US Embassy Ankara- US citizens advised to avoid Embassy area until further notice.
Russian envoy killed in Ankara:
— RT (@RT_com) December 19, 2016
- Amb. dies of wounds
- Gunman is police member
- MFA calls attack terrorist act https://t.co/sj5VJm1yUV pic.twitter.com/KnVBPHxkWY
11:45pm: Russian envoy assassin identified as special forces police member Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş – Ankara mayor: RT News
11:21pm:Â Gunman who killed Russian ambassador was not on duty during the shooting: Turkish security sources (Reuters)
11:21pm:Â Killer of Russian envoy identified as Turkish policeman: Ankara mayor (AFP)
11:15pm: Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ambassador shooting with Foreign Ministry & intelligence – spokesman: Reports
11: 07pm:Â Russian terms assasination a 'terrorist attack': PTI
#Turkey: Video footage of the moments of the assassination attempt on the Russian ambassador in #Ankara. pic.twitter.com/hy4rUvONfB
— Mikhail D. (@Eire_QC) December 19, 2016
10:48 pm (IST):Â US State Department condemns killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey
#In 1976, Karlov graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Economic Relations.Â
#In 1992, he graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry.Â
#He was fluent in Korean and from 2001 to 2006 served as Russia's ambassador to North Korea.Â
#He was appointed ambassador to Turkey in 2013.
#Karlov was married, and he had a son.
