Turkish opposition leader condemns envoy's murder

Turkey's opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader said he "strongly condemns" Monday's assassination of Moscow's ambassador in Ankara, Andrey Karlov.

Devlet Bahçeli offered his condolences to the Russian people and state. In a statement, he added: "No reason, no excuse could justify the assassination of a foreign envoy who is entrusted to Turkey."

Karlov was shot dead on Monday evening as he attended the opening ceremony of an art gallery in the Turkish capital Ankara.

The ambassador was delivering a speech when the assailant opened fire on the diplomat before shooting into the air, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent who witnessed the incident.

Karlov was seriously wounded and immediately taken to Guven Hospital in the capital's Cankaya district, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police special forces neutralized the assailant -- a 22-year-old Turkish riot police officer called Mevlut Mert Altintas -- in an operation that lasted around 15 minutes.

Bahçeli called the assassination "a terrorist attack" and said it was noteworthy that it was carried out by a police officer.

He called for "common sense, patience, and respect to mutual interests," and said the perpetrators of the assassination "have to be brought to light".

"I believe that the bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia are so deep-rooted that they cannot be made a victim of terrorism," Bahçeli added.

Pointing to "the hard days" that Turkey has been experiencing, Bahçeli added: "All the terrorist attacks, assassinations, social disorder, political or economic crises serve the aim of destroying Turkey's prestige and credibility."

"Turkey has the power to get over these hard days despite all the hostile incidents," he added.