Russian ambassador is shot dead by gunman screaming 'Allahu akbar… We die in Aleppo, you die here' during art exhibition in Turkey

Russia's ambassador to Turkey has been shot dead while visiting an art exhibition in the capital, Ankara.
The gunman, a smartly dressed man in a suit and tie, was heard shouting: 'Allahu Akbar (God is Great). We die in Aleppo, you die here!' 

Andrey Karlov, 62, was taken to hospital but unconfirmed reports say he has since died. 

The attack came after days of protests in Turkey over Russia's role in Syria and the attacker reportedly shouted about Aleppo during the attack.

Turkey's Anadolu Agency has said the gunman has been 'neutralised'. 

Russia Today reported that Mr Karlov was injured as he prepared to deliver a speech at the opening of the exhibition on 'Russia in the eyes of Turks'.

Eyewitnesses told the TASS news agency that several shots were fired and the gunman shouted 'Get out!'

President Vladimir Putin has been informed of the assassination of his ambassador.

'Today during a public event in Ankara an unknown attacker started firing chaotically, as a result of which the Russian ambassador to Turkey was wounded,' a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said, before Karlov's death was confirmed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Mr Putin had been informed of the incident and would receive a report from the foreign ministry and intelligence chiefs.

Moscow and Ankara are now working closely together to evacuate citizens from Aleppo but the Russian bombing of the city and the civilian casualties have enraged many Turks and also Syrian refugees in the country.

The attack happened at the Cagdas Sanatlar Merkezi, a major art exhibition hall in the Cankaya district of Ankara where most foreign embassies are located, including Russia's mission. 

Today's shooting comes 24 hours before the Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu is due in Moscow for talks with his Russian and Iranian counterparts.

The United States condemns the gun attack on the Russian ambassador to Turkey earlier on Monday, the U.S. State Department said. 

'We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source,' said U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby in a statement, 'Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.' 

Mr Karlov had been a diplomat since 1976.

He worked at  South Korea embassy and was later ambassador to North Korea. 

He was Director of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry until his appointment in Ankara in 2013.

Fluent in Korean and English, he is married with a son.

Speaking to the Anadolu news agency last month, Mr Karlov had heralded improving relations between Turkey and Russia since Turkish warplanes have shot down a Russian military aircraft on the border with Syria in 2015.

Mr Karlov said: 'I would be happy if next year, Turkey was visited by 4.5 million Russian tourists, as it was before, but it will be difficult to do. I hope that next year will visit Turkey several million Russians.

'The Russian side has done everything to avoid obstacles to cooperation in the field of tourism, we lifted the ban on flights chartered flights. Now, much will depend on the Turkish side.' 

Russia's President Putin and Turkey's President Erdogan have been increasingly friendly in recent months but they share enemies - Islamist extremists. 

Relations between Moscow and Ankara worsened after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane which crossed over the Syrian border in November 2015 but have warmed up again recently.

Source: Daily Mail