(ZENIT News / Istambul, 01.28.2024).- Around noon on Sunday, January 28, a couple of hooded individuals entered the Church of Santa Maria in the Büyükdere district and opened fire on one of the participants in the Sunday Mass: Tuncer Cihan. The result of the shots was the death of this person, who, according to third-party testimonies, was known to have a mental disability, leading to the belief that the attack was on the church rather than Tuncer, as he lacked social connections. Turkish Minister of the Interior Ali Yerlikaya kept the public informed through the social network X, also announcing that efforts were underway to capture the attackers.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan contacted Father Anton Bulai, the parish priest of Santa Maria, and the Polish consul in Istanbul, who was also attending the Mass.
Located near the Bosphorus River in the northern part of Istanbul, the church is also known as the «Italian church.» It dates back to 1866 and is served by Franciscans. The specialized media outlet Asia News recalls that in December 2023, the Turkish state arrested 32 suspects with links to the Islamic State.
Sarıyer’de Santa Maria Kilisesinde yaşanan silahlı saldırı sonrası Basın Açıklamamızı gerçekleştiriyoruz. 📍İstanbul #CanlıYayın📡🎥 https://t.co/NCAcuOG8Ph
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) January 28, 2024
