Turkish Authorities Arrest Gunmen Responsible for Istanbul Church Killing, Reports Reuters

ISTANBUL – Turkish authorities have apprehended two gunmen responsible for fatally shooting an individual during a service at a church in Istanbul on Sunday. The suspects are believed to have connections to the Islamic State, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

The attack occurred at approximately 0840 GMT at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church, located in the Sariyer district of Istanbul. The victim, a Turkish citizen, was specifically targeted while attending the mass.

Following the incident, authorities conducted raids at over 30 locations across the city, resulting in the detention of 47 individuals so far. The gunmen were captured during one of the later raids.

Yerlikaya confirmed that both suspects are foreign nationals; one hails from Tajikistan while the other is Russian. They are believed to have links to the Islamic State and will be interrogated regarding the attack.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the shooting in a statement on Telegram, asserting that the assault was carried out in response to directives from the group’s leaders to target Jews and Christians.

CCTV footage from inside the church, verified by news sources, showed the masked gunmen entering and shooting the victim as he walked in front of them before fleeing the scene shortly after.

In response to the tragedy, President Tayyip Erdogan reached out to the priest of the church to express his condolences and support, as documented in a video of their conversation.

Pope Francis also expressed his sorrow over the incident following his weekly Angelus prayer, stating, "I express my closeness to the community of Saint Mary Draperis Church in Istanbul that suffered an armed attack during mass that caused one death."

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni condemned the attack, referring to it as a "despicable act," and stated that Italy’s foreign ministry was closely monitoring the situation.

The Islamic State has previously conducted numerous attacks in Turkey, including a notorious assault on a nightclub in Istanbul on January 1, 2017, which resulted in 39 fatalities.

Yerlikaya noted that since June 2023, Turkish authorities have detained 2,086 individuals suspected of having ties to the Islamic State during 1,046 operations, with 529 arrests made.