ISIS claims Saint Mary Church attack on Sunday
The armed attack on the Saint Mary Church in the Sarıyer district of İstanbul, during Sunday mass, has been claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Yesterday (January 28), during the Sunday mass at the church, two individuals wearing ski masks entered and opened fire, resulting in attendees taking cover. Tuncer Cihan was shot in the head and lost his life during the incident.
In a statement published in Arabic on ISIS's news agency, Amaq, it was stated that the attack was carried out in response to the call of ISIS leaders to target Jews and Christians everywhere.
The claim of responsibility was also disseminated by ISIS's Turkish media outlet, "Meydan Medya."
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, in a social media post last night at 22:49, announced that the two perpetrators of the attack on the Santa Maria Church had been apprehended. Yerlikaya stated:
"This morning, 2 suspects who caused the death of our citizen Tuncer Cihan during the Sunday mass at Santa Maria Church in Sarıyer have been captured. I congratulate our Istanbul Police and brave officers who identified and apprehended the perpetrators. Once again, I extend my condolences to the family and loved ones of our deceased citizen."
Later, around 00:30, Minister Yerlikaya held a press conference at the Istanbul Provincial Police Department regarding the matter. He mentioned that the attackers were of foreign nationality and stated, "We assess that they are affiliated with ISIS."
In his speech, Minister Yerlikaya stated:
"After the heinous attack, our Istanbul Police initiated a very rapid and comprehensive operation. Throughout the day, our law enforcement conducted raids on 30 different addresses, resulting in the detention of 47 individuals. Finally, in the operation at the address identified at 22:00, both suspects in the murder were apprehended. I would like to emphasize that both suspects are of foreign nationality. We assess that both, one being Tajikistani and the other Russian, are affiliated with ISIS."
Saint Mary Catholic Church
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, or Saint Mary Italian Latin Catholic Church, is located in the Büyükdere neighborhood of the Sarıyer district in İstanbul. It is the only Latin Catholic Church in the İstanbul Strait.
Construction began in the 1864, and it was opened for worship in 1866. Designed by the architect Gaspare Fossati in the Neoclassical style, the church is two-storied and planned as a basilica.
(VC/PE)