In Istanbul, a man was killed while attending mass at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church.
The attack committed by two masked attackers, with no motive yet, took place around 11:40 a.m. (local time) in the Sariyer district, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on social networks.
An investigation has been opened, he added, condemning
“a despicable attack”
.
“Our security forces are conducting a large-scale investigation into this matter
,” said Omer Celik, spokesperson for the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party).
“Those who threaten the peace and security of our citizens will never achieve their objectives
. ”
In December, Turkish security forces arrested 32 suspects, alleged members of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, suspected of planning attacks against synagogues, churches and the Iraqi embassy.
The arrests were made in nine different cities, including Istanbul and the capital Ankara.