Republished February 11, 2024 - 3:54 AM
Original Publication Date February 11, 2024 - 2:36 AM
ISTANBUL (AP) — One of the assailants who opened fire at an Istanbul campaign event for upcoming municipal elections has been caught, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday.
Erdogan condemned Saturday's attack that critically wounded one woman and praised police and prosecutors for working to apprehend the other suspects. He didn't mention their affiliation or a motive for the attack.
The attack took place as Aziz Yeniay, a candidate for mayor in Istanbul’s Kucukcemece district for the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, was visiting an association, Turkish semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.
A 32-year-old woman was critically wounded and the attackers escaped in a vehicle.
Police said they were reviewing security camera footage and had found 17 spent shells at the site. Footage showed people firing from a white car before speeding away.
Turkey will hold municipal elections on March 31. Erdogan's ruling AKP hopes to retake many crucial cities and districts it lost to the opposition Republican People’s Party five years ago, including the country’s largest city, Istanbul, and capital, Ankara.
“We know that terrorism feeds off fear and panic,” Yeniay told reporters. “We will not give credence to this, we will not be afraid."
News from © The Associated Press, 2024