On Sunday, two gunmen opened fire on an Italian church in Istanbul during a religious event, killing one, according to Turkey’s interior minister.
The attack occurred about 11:40 (0840 GMT) at the Santa Maria church in Istanbul’s Sariyer district and was carried out by two masked males, according to Ali Yerlikaya on social media.
He stated that an investigation had begun.
Television footage showed police and an ambulance outside the stately church.
The minister stated that one individual identified only as C.T., who attended Sunday’s service, died as a result of the armed attack.
“We strongly condemn this vile attack,” Yerlikaya stated.
The motivation for the attack was not immediately apparent.
In December, Turkish security forces seized 32 people suspected of having links to Islamic State terrorists who were preparing assaults on churches, synagogues, and the Iraqi embassy.
IS fanatics have carried out a number of attacks on Turkish soil, including one on a nightclub in Istanbul in 2017 that killed 39 people.