The Russian Consulate General in Istanbul has reached out to the Turkish Interior Ministry for information pertaining to the detention of a Russian individual following a shooting incident at a church, the diplomatic mission told TASS.
"Our inquiry has been sent to the Interior Ministry, and we are currently awaiting their response," the representative stated.
"According to the authorities, 47 individuals were detained in relation to the incident, which includes a Russian citizen. The process of verifying his identity is underway, and we are seeking permission to gain access to him through a consular officer," the diplomats explained.
The incident took place approximately 11:40 local time on January 28 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in the Sariyer district. During a church service, two unidentified masked men opened fire, resulting in the death of a Turkish citizen who was born in 1972.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya informed the media that the police had detained 47 individuals suspected of being involved in the shooting. Among these suspects were citizens from Russia and Tajikistan. As the minister highlighted, those implicated in the incident could potentially be connected to the terrorist group "Islamic State" (banned in Russia).
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on materials from TASS