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| US consulate in Turkey attacked | US consulate in Turkey attacked |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Six people have died in a gun battle outside the US consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. | Six people have died in a gun battle outside the US consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. |
| The city's governor, Muammer Guler, said three policemen and three attacking gunmen were killed. | |
| No injuries were reported to staff inside the consulate. The US ambassador to Turkey condemned it as "an obvious act of terrorism" aimed at the US. | No injuries were reported to staff inside the consulate. The US ambassador to Turkey condemned it as "an obvious act of terrorism" aimed at the US. |
| A fourth gunman and the driver of a vehicle that dropped off the attackers at the consulate reportedly escaped. | A fourth gunman and the driver of a vehicle that dropped off the attackers at the consulate reportedly escaped. |
| One of them approached a policeman while hiding his gun and shot him in the head Yavuz Erkut Yuksel Al-Qaeda 'linked to attack' | One of them approached a policeman while hiding his gun and shot him in the head Yavuz Erkut Yuksel Al-Qaeda 'linked to attack' |
| Reports quoted police sources as saying the suspects belonged to a Turkish Sunni Islamic fundamentalist group, says David O'Byrne in Istanbul. | Reports quoted police sources as saying the suspects belonged to a Turkish Sunni Islamic fundamentalist group, says David O'Byrne in Istanbul. |
| The Great Eastern Islamic Raiders Front is thought to have links to al-Qaeda, says our correspondent. | The Great Eastern Islamic Raiders Front is thought to have links to al-Qaeda, says our correspondent. |
| The consulate was moved from the centre of Istanbul to a hill on the northern outskirts of the city following the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. | The consulate was moved from the centre of Istanbul to a hill on the northern outskirts of the city following the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. |
| 'Cowardly and dastardly' | 'Cowardly and dastardly' |
| A witness to the attack, Yavuz Erkut Yuksel, said the attackers had initially emerged from a car and surprised the police officers guarding the building. | A witness to the attack, Yavuz Erkut Yuksel, said the attackers had initially emerged from a car and surprised the police officers guarding the building. |
| "One of them approached a policeman while hiding his gun and shot him in the head," he told CNN-Turk. | "One of them approached a policeman while hiding his gun and shot him in the head," he told CNN-Turk. |
| Governor Guler said: "There is no doubt this was a terrorist attack." | Governor Guler said: "There is no doubt this was a terrorist attack." |
| The US ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, said: "It is enough to say they are terrorists who carried out a cowardly and dastardly attack." | The US ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, said: "It is enough to say they are terrorists who carried out a cowardly and dastardly attack." |
| Turkish President Abdullah Gul said: "Turkey will fight to the end against those who are behind them." | Turkish President Abdullah Gul said: "Turkey will fight to the end against those who are behind them." |
| Turkey has seen armed attacks from a variety of groups in recent years. | Turkey has seen armed attacks from a variety of groups in recent years. |
| The most deadly was in November 2003, when 58 people were killed by Islamist militants in suicide bombings outside two synagogues, the British consulate and a British bank in Istanbul. | The most deadly was in November 2003, when 58 people were killed by Islamist militants in suicide bombings outside two synagogues, the British consulate and a British bank in Istanbul. |
| The Kurdish rebels of the PKK have also been blamed for several attacks, including a car bombing that killed six people in the city of Diyarbakir in January. | The Kurdish rebels of the PKK have also been blamed for several attacks, including a car bombing that killed six people in the city of Diyarbakir in January. |
| Are you in Istanbul? Did you witness the incident? Send your comments using the form below: | Are you in Istanbul? Did you witness the incident? Send your comments using the form below: |