Russian Ambassador to Ankara Andrey Karlov has been killed on Monday following an attack by an unidentified gunman while visiting an art exhibition opening in the Turkish capital.

The assailant was ‘killed’ during an operation by special forces at the scene, the Contemporary Art Gallery in Ankara’s central Çankaya district.

Karlov was taken to a hospital immediately after being shot at least eight times and several other people were wounded.

Russian officials said that the attack was carried out by a radical extremist.

Photographers captured the man in a black suit holding a pistol, standing close to a podium in the gallery, its walls hung with pictures. Four people including what appeared to be the ambassador lay on the floor.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a televised statement that the ministry would soon comment on “the attack on the Russian ambassador in Turkey”.

Source: dailysabah.com