Unholy blitz attack
A pair of armed men busted into a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul Sunday morning and opened fire, killing one churchgoer before fleeing, Turkish officials said.
The 11:40 a.m. assault on the Santa Maria Church — which happened amid a weekly Mass — was captured in a viral social media video that showed the masked men entering the building just before they began spraying bullets.
The faithful immediately hit the floor, and the two men abruptly took off.
‘Victim of fate’
The brazen gunmen killed one man — Tuncer Cihan — Cihan’s nephew, Cagin Cihan, said.
“He was a mentally disabled individual who had no connection to politics or [criminal] organizations,” the nephew said. “He went there on an invitation and was a victim of fate.”
It was not clear if anyone else was wounded.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya condemned the attack in a post on X, and said authorities were working to track down the mystery killers.
The city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, offered his condolences and support for the religious minorities who inhabit the city — which is mostly Muslim, like the rest of the country — telling reporters, “There are no minorities in this city or this country. We are all actual citizens.”
Pope Francis commented on the attack during public remarks Suncloseness day at the Vatican.
“I express my to the community of [the church] in Istanbul, which during the Mass suffered an armed attack with one dead,” the pontiff said.
Italian officials are also tracking the situation, as the church is run by an Italian order of Franciscan friars.
“I express my condolence and firm condemnation for the vile attack on Santa Maria Church,” Italian ForAntonio eign Minister Tajani wrote on X. “I am certain that the Turkish authorities will arrest those responsible.”