One gunman killed and two injured in shooting at Israeli consulate in Istanbul

One gunman killed and two injured in shooting at Israeli consulate in Istanbul

A shooting near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul left one assailant dead and two others wounded during a gunfight. Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci reported that two police officers sustained minor injuries, with one shot in the leg and the other in the ear. The attackers, who arrived in a rented vehicle from Izmit, were described as brothers by the ministry.

“Intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists, and the interrogation of the injured terrorists continues,” the interior ministry stated in a statement on X.

The ministry identified the deceased attacker as Yunus E.S., claiming he was linked to a terrorist group that uses religion to justify its actions. This is believed to refer to the Islamic State group, though no organisation has officially claimed responsibility for the incident.

Local governor Davut Gul later corrected earlier reports that two attackers had died, confirming only one was killed. The two injured individuals, Onur Ç and Enes Ç, were also described as brothers. Video footage shared on social media appeared to show an armed attacker being shot and collapsing on the ground during the confrontation.

Witnesses at the scene told Reuters that the gunfire was intense and lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes. Unverified clips circulating online depicted multiple police vans and a heavy security presence surrounding the consulate, which was sealed off for several hours after the attack.

The Israeli consulate in Istanbul’s Besiktas district has been vacant for over two-and-a-half years, following a decline in diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel over the Gaza conflict. No Israeli diplomats were present during the incident. An investigation into the attack has been initiated by the justice ministry.