One man was killed after gunmen opened fire inside a Catholic church in Istanbul during Sunday Mass in what appeared to be a targeted attack.
The shooting, condemned by Pope Francis and Turkish officials, was claimed by the Islamic State group in a statement issued on its Telegram channels.
Two masked men carried out the attack at about 11:40am at Santa Maria church in Sariyer District, on the European side of the nation’s largest city, Turkish Minister of the Interior Ali Yerlikaya said on social media.
Photo: AFP
Turkish officials said it looked like a targeted attack against one person rather than against the Catholic Church.
The minister said an individual initially identified only as C.T. was the target of the gun attack and had lost his life. He was among those attending Sunday’s service.
Turkish police detained two suspects as they fled the scene, Yerlikaya announced late on Sunday, identifying the victim as Tuncer Cihan.
Local officials said that about 40 people attended the Mass including Polish consul general in Istanbul Witold Lesniak and his family.
They also suggested that, but for a weapons malfunction, there might have been more casualties.
“After the second shot, the gun didn’t work, then they [the attackers] ran,” Sariyer District Mayor Sukru Genc told reporters. “At this moment, everyone lay on the floor. There were about 35 to 40 people inside.”
Security footage from before the attack showed a pair of men wearing black ski masks with their hands hidden in their pockets. One was wearing sunglasses.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was in Eskisehir for a campaign rally ahead of local elections, expressed condolences during a telephone call with the priest of the church and other officials.
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