Turkey Arrests Islamic State-linked Suspects in Istanbul Church Shooting
Turkish authorities on Sunday apprehended two gunmen responsible for a fatal shooting at the Italian Church of St. Mary Draperis in Istanbul’s Sariyer district. The attack, which claimed the life of one Turkish citizen attending the service, occurred around 11:40 a.m. local time.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that the suspects, believed to be linked to the Islamic State group, are foreign nationals from Tajikistan and Russia. He said that after conducting over 30 raids across Istanbul, 47 people were detained, with the shooters captured in one of the latest operations.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via a Telegram statement. The group said the act was in response to calls from the group’s leadership to target Jews and Christians.
Closed circuit TV footage from the church captured the chilling moment the masked gunmen entered and shot the victim, Tuncer Cihan, exiting shortly after.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extended condolences and support to the church’s priest, an interaction shared by his office. Pope Francis, after his weekly Angelus prayer, expressed solidarity with the St. Mary Draperis Church community. Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni also condemned the “despicable act.”
Turkey has witnessed several Islamic State-led attacks, including a 2017 nightclub shooting in Istanbul killing 39. Yerlikaya revealed that since June 2023, Turkish officials have detained 2,086 individuals suspected of Islamic State ties, resulting in 529 arrests.
