Tag Archives: Ambassador

Russian ambassador shot dead in Ankara

Turkish police secure the area near an art gallery where the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was shot, in Ankara.

ANKARA (Reuters) – The Russian ambassador to Ankara was shot dead in an attack at an art gallery in the Turkish capital on Monday by a gunman shouting “Don’t forget Aleppo”.

A Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed the death of envoy Andrei Karlov, which marked one of the most serious spillovers of the Syria conflict into Turkey.

Andrei Gennadiyevich Karlov in a 2005 photo.

Andrei Gennadiyevich Karlov in a 2005 photo. REUTERS/Korea News Service

Russia is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes were instrumental in helping Syrian forces end rebel resistance last week in the northern city of Aleppo.

The Anadolu news agency said the gunman had been “neutralized” soon after the attack, Relations between Moscow and Ankara have long been fraught over the conflict, with the two supporting opposing sides.

The attacker was smartly dressed in black suit and tie, and standing behind the ambassador as he made a speech at the art exhibition, a person at the scene told Reuters.

“He took out his gun and shot the ambassador from behind. We saw him lying on the floor and then we ran out,” said the witness, who asked not to be identified.

A Reuters cameraman at the scene said gunfire rang out for some time after the attack.

A video showed the attacker shouting: “Don’t forget Aleppo, don’t forget Syria!”

As screams rang out, the gunman could then be seen pacing about and shouting as he held the gun in one hand and waved the other in the air.

Another photograph showed four people including what appeared to be the ambassador lying on the floor.

Russia and Turkey have both been involved in the conflict in Syria, which borders Turkey. Turkey has been a staunch opponent of Assad, while Russia has deployed troops and its air force in support of the Syrian leader.

The U.S. State Department, involved in diplomatic contacts with Russia in an attempt to resolve a refugee crisis unfolding around the city of Aleppo, condemned the attack.

Tensions have escalated in recent weeks as Russian-backed Syrian forces have fought for control of the eastern part of the city of Aleppo, triggering a stream of refugees.

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 targets over the last year.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Daren Butler; editing by Ralph Boulton and Mark Trevelyan)

U.S. Ambassador To South Korea Attacked

The U.S. ambassador to South Korea is recovering today from an attack by a knife-wielding assailant.

Ambassador Mark Kippert had started delivering a speech when 55-year-old Kim Ki-jong jumped at him and slashed with the knife.  Lippert underwent surgery for a cut on his face that required 80 stitches to close.

Doctors told the media that damage to the Ambassador’s left hand could be severe enough to permanently hamper use.

The assailant shouted “no to war training” and later that the two Koreas need to be reunited.

North Korea hailed the attack saying that it was a “righteous punishment” against the United States and showed the residents of South Korea want to be ruled by the North.  They blamed the U.S. keeping 28,500 troops in South Korea as a reason for the problems in the region.

President Obama condemned the attack and sent his best wishes to the ambassador.

Rabbi Nominated As Religious Ambassador For State Department

Rabbi David Saperstein has been nominated by President Obama to be the next ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom at the U.S. State Deaprtment.  Rabbi Saperstein would be the first non-Christian to hold the position since the job was created in 1998.

“I am grateful that Rabbi Saperstein has chosen to dedicate his talent to  service the American people at this important time for our country,” President Obama said.  “I look forward to working with him in the months and year ahead.”

Rabbi Saperstein now awaits Senate confirmation.

The nomination is coming after controversy.  The position was left unfilled by the Obama Administration for almost two years before Suzan Johnson Cook took the role in 2011.  She left in October during very visible times of Christian persecution around the world and the administration had not taken steps to fill the office for the last nine months.

Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention took note of the nine-month delay in the President’s action but had praise for the nominee.

“Rabbi Saperstein is a respected thinker and leader who brings gravity to this important task,” Moore said.  “He has my prayers and my pledge of full cooperation.  The downgrade of religious freedom and the persecution of religious minorities around the world must end.”