Russian ambassador shots dead in Turkey

The Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov was seriously wounded in a gun attack at an art gallery in the Turkish capital. Russian agency RIA said the ambassador died in hospital. A source said the gunman was found dead inside the art gallery. "police bodyguard uniform” after being gunned down by special forces. The killer was the only man standing behind the ambassador throughout his speech at the art gallery..He was reportedly shot the ambassador five times. A source said the gunman introduced himself as ambassador's personal security detail before opening fire after screaming "you Russians destroyed Aleppo and Syria". The gunman spoke in Russian before killing Mr Karlov, who had been delivering a speech for several minutes, before the shooter opened fire. At least three other people have been shot and special forces have been called to the scene as hostages are held. The source said gunfire has ended and the Turkish interior minister has entered the building and found the wounded on the floor. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. Islamic State militants have been active in Turkey and carried out several bomb attacks on Turkish. Four people including a man who appears to be the ambassador lay on the floor.  Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was in touch with Turkish authorities about the attack..Special forces have surrounded the building. The ambassador was seriously wounded in the shooting, ambulances and police cars lined up outside the art gallery.. "Today, during a public event, an unknown person opened fire chaotically.”As a result, Andrei Karlov, the ambassador to Turkey, received a gunshot wound."Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency that President Vladimir Putin had been told about the attack and would be studying a report from the intelligence services and foreign ministry on the incident.Mr Karlov was made Moscow’s ambassador to Turkey in 2013. Russia and Turkey have been involved in conflict in Syria across the border from where over two million Syrian refugees have settled. Turkey has been a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad while Russia has deployed troops and its air force in support of the Syrian leader. Speaking to Sky News about what sparked the attack, Chatham House Turkey expert Fadi Hakura said: “The relationship between Turkey and Russia over the situation in Aleppo.“This increased co-operation between the two countries may have prompted this assassination attempt.”He added: “I think that Russia will not take this lying down. I think Russia will intensify activities in Syria and Russian intelligence will track down the perpetrators of this assignation attempt.“They will adopt a robust line.”Andrei Karlov was making a speech when he was shot in Ankara. Andrei Karlov was making a speech when he was shot in Ankara He added that the attack will also lead to Turkey increasing its operations to track down Islamic State (ISIS) militants operating in the country.The United States condemned the gun attack on the Russian ambassador to Turkey earlier on Monday, the US State Department said.US State Department spokesman John Kirby said: "We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source.”Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."