Three gunmen attacked police outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, resulting in a shootout that led to the death of one assailant and the capture of two others, who were injured during the incident on Monday morning (Australian Eastern Standard Time). Istanbul Governor Davut Gul reported that two police officers suffered minor injuries during the confrontation, which involved assailants armed with long-barrelled firearms.
Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti disclosed that the attackers had travelled from the nearby city of Izmit in a rented vehicle. He suggested that one of the assailants had connections to a group that misuses religious ideology, although the specific organisation was not identified. The Islamic State group has been known for launching deadly assaults in Turkey previously.
It has been noted that two of the attackers were siblings, and one of them had a prior conviction related to drug offences. The Israeli Consulate is situated in a tall building, and officials indicated that no Israeli diplomats were present at the consulate at the time of the attack. Israelis pulled their diplomats from Turkey due to heightened security concerns and worsening relations following the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In response to the incident, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that an investigation has commenced to ascertain further details surrounding the attack.