A gunman was killed and two were injured in a shootout near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul.
Two policemen were slightly injured in the gun fight, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said.
Ciftci stated that the attackers had come to Istanbul from the city of Izmit by rental car, and that two of them were brothers. In a statement, the ministry named the gunman killed as Yunus E.S., who was reportedly connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion. This is understood to reference the Islamic State group, although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Initially, police reported that two attackers had died; however, local governor Davut Gul later clarified that only one had been killed. The injured attackers were identified as Onur Ç and Enes Ç, also brothers.
The two police officers were not in life-threatening condition, with one suffering a leg wound and the other an ear injury. An interior ministry statement noted that intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists, and the interrogation of the injured terrorists continues.
According to Governor Gul, the attackers used both rifles and pistols during the assault. He also confirmed that no Israeli diplomatic personnel were in the consulate, located in Istanbul's main business district in Besiktas.
The gunfight unfolded in broad daylight, with social media videos capturing the moment police shot one attacker. Witnesses reported that the sound of gunfire was loud and persisted for 15-20 minutes. Reuters also noted a significant police presence around the building during the investigation, which has been cordoned off for several hours.
Currently, there are no Israeli diplomats stationed in Turkey, as the consulate has remained empty for the past two-and-a-half years due to worsening relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv over the Gaza conflict. The justice minister stated that an investigation into the incident will continue.
