Gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the United States embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Monday morning, reported Reuters, quoting CNN Turk. There were no casualties as the gunshots hit a window in a security post outside the embassy. After the attack, the shooters fled in a white car, with police teams looking for them.
Four to five rounds were fired, and they were aimed at a security booth outside Gate 6 of the building, reported CBS News, quoting Ihlas news agency.
An embassy spokesperson confirmed the incident and said that a “security incident” had occurred, reported CBS News. “We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details,” said the spokesperson. “We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response.”
Police teams at the site found empty cartridges, reported Al Jazeera, quoting broadcaster Haeberturk.
The embassy was set to be closed this week for a public holiday on the occasion of Eid, reported Al Jazeera.
The incident comes in the backdrop of a row between US and Turkey over the Syrian civil war and other diplomatic matters. After US imposed sanctions against the country for detaining an American pastor, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week said Ankara will boycott electronic products from Washington. It also raised the tariffs on several US imports, including cars, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coal, cosmetics and rice. The US sanctions have led to a fall in the value of the lira, the Turkish currency, to record lows.
The US embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have faced several security threats in the past, according to Reuters.
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