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The Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov died in hospital after being shot in the back five times in a gun attack at an art gallery in the Turkish capital. A source said the gunman was found dead inside the art gallery in "police bodyguard uniform” after being shot down by special forces. The killer, identified as Turkish policeman Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, was the only man standing behind the ambassador throughout his speech at the art gallery. A source said the 22-year-old off-duty riot police officer introduced himself as ambassador's personal security detail before opening fire after screaming "you Russians destroyed Aleppo and Syria". Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan cast the attack as an attempt to undermine NATO-member Turkey's relations with Russia - ties long tested by the war in Syria as tensions escalated in the region.

Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov died in hospital after being shot in the back five times in a gun attack in Ankara

The gunman reportedly screamed in Turkish and Arabic before killing Mr Karlov, who had been delivering a speech for several minutes, when the shooter opened fire. The killer shouted: "Allahu Akbar" before gunning the ambassador down. Sources said the wounded ambassador remained inside the building alone with the gunman for more than 30 minutes as people ran for cover in other parts of the building. The gunman carried on shooting Mr Karlov as special forces surrounded the building. One witness, who did not wish to be named, said: "He took out his gun and shot the ambassador from behind. We saw him lying on the floor and then we ran out.”

HURRIYET/RUSSIA EMBASSY/TWITTER The Russian ambassador to Turkey has been shot in an attack in Ankara

The gunman, was smartly dressed in a black suit and was seen with his fingers and thumbs together listening intently to what the ambassador had to say. He reportedly shot the ambassador five times in the back and "acted like a professional assassin throughout the shooting". The former special task policeman reportedly quoted verses from the Koran before shouting about the Syrian civil war. Russia is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes were instrumental in helping Syrian forces end rebel resistance last week in the northern city of Aleppo. President Erdogan, however, has been an opponent of Assad. At least three other people were shot and special forces were called to the scene as local media reported hostages were being held.

Turkish news agency Anadolu said the gunman had been "neutralised" soon after the attack. Security around the Russian embassy in Ankara has been stepped up after the Russian ambassador was shot by a gunman, according to Russian state media. Armed police were stationed outside the embassy, which was cordoned off from the public. Russian state media said Altıntaş was a member of FETO, who had been fired from the police following the attempted military coup in July. FETO is a designated terrorist organisation in Turkey which President Erdogan’s government believes US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen controls. Russian investigators have opened a criminal case into the assassination.

AHABER.COM Local media broadcast images of the gunman

TWITTER Images of the gunman have been posted on Twitter

Police detained the gunman’s mother and sister in the southwestern Turkish province of Aydin as well as his roommate and two other people in connection with the attack. Russia’s Investigative Committee spokesman Svetlana Petrenko said: ”On the basis of the attributes of a crime punishable under Article 360 of the Russian Criminal Code, a criminal case over the attack on the ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was instituted on Monday.” Russian state media said Altıntaş was a member of FETO had been fired from the police following the attempted military coup in July. FETO is a designated terrorist organisation in Turkey which President Erdogan’s government believes US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen controls. A Turkish senior security official said there are “very strong signs” the gunman belonged to the network of Gulen, who Ankara says orchestrated the failed coup. The government says Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, created a "parallel network" in the police, military, judiciary and civil service aimed at overthrowing the state. The cleric denies this. Gulen denied accusations of links to the shooting and branded Ankara's claim "laughable".

ASSASSINATED: Andrei Karlov, Russia's ambassador to Turkey shot dead Mon, December 19, 2016 Andrei Karlov, Russia's ambassador to Turkey has been shot dead while visiting an art exhibition in the capital, Ankara Play slideshow PA 1 of 16 Photograph of Andrei Karlov

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: "Today in Ankara as a result of an attack, the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Turkey, Andrei Gennadyevich Karlov, received a wound from which he died. "We regard this as a terrorist act. "Terrorism will not win and we will fight against it decisively. "The memory of an outstanding Russian diplomat, Andrei Gennadyevich Karlov, a person who did a great deal to fight terrorism in his diplomatic post, will always be in our hearts." The source said gunfire ended around 30 minutes later and the Turkish interior minister entered the building and found the wounded on the floor. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW

HURRIYET People are seen lying on the floor in a photo posted online

AFP GETTY The killer is seen pointing his gun moments after shooting the ambassador

EPA The gunman is seen standing near the body of the ambassador

TWITTER Special forces shot dead the gunman

TWITTER The gunman has been identified as policeman Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. Islamic State militants have been active in Turkey and carried out several bomb attacks on Turkish targets. A photograph posted on Twitter showed a man in a black suit holding a pistol, later identified as Altıntaş, standing close to a podium in the gallery, its walls hung with pictures. Four people including a man who appears to be the ambassador lay on the floor. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was in touch with Turkish authorities about the attack, who had promised an investigation. She said: "Today, during a public event, an unknown person opened fire chaotically."

TWITTER The ambassador was rushed to hospital where he died from his gunshot wounds

REUTERS Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to ramp up the fight against terror

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency that President Vladimir Putin had been told about the attack and would be studying a report from the intelligence services and foreign ministry on the incident. Turkish President Erdogan spoke by phone with President Putin on Monday to share information about the shooting, a Turkish official said. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said it will not allow the shooting to "cast a shadow" over Turkish-Russian friendship. In a statement the ministry branded the shooting a “lowly terrorist attack” and paid tribute to the ambassador. In a video message broadcast on Turkish television, Erdogan said Turkey-Russia relations were vital for the region and those who aimed to harm ties were not going to achieve their goals. President Erdogan identified the attacker, who was later killed by security forces, as a member of the Ankara riot police who had spent two and a half years on the force.

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to ramp up the fight against terror and demanded assurances from Ankara about the safety of Russian diplomats in Turkey. Both countries agreed to strengthen ties in the wake of the assassination. He said: “This murder is clearly a provocation aimed at undermining the improvement and normalisation of Russian-Turkish relations as well as undermining the peace process in Syria promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in solving this conflict in Syria. "The only response we should offer to this murder is stepping up our fight against terror. "The criminals will feel the heat. The Russian investigative committee has already launched an investigation into this killing and has been tasked with forming a working group that will fly to Ankara and join Turkish colleagues investigating this murder, something we agreed on in my phone conversation with the Turkish president just now. “We have to know who organised the killing, who gave orders to the assassin. “We need to strengthen security at Russian diplomatic commissions and Turkish diplomatic commissions in Russia. “We also need to receive guarantees from Turkey that Russian diplomatic missions in Turkey will enjoy strengthened security.”

REUTERS Turkish and American embassies in Ankara were put on lockdown following the shooting

GETTY Special forces surrounded the building

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters the ambassador, Andrei Karlov, had died after being shot by a gunman at an art gallery in the Turkish capital. Turkey has enforced a news blackout on local television stations after footage of the assassin was aired. Mr Karlov was made Moscow’s ambassador to Turkey in 2013. Russia and Turkey have been involved in conflict in Syria across the border from where over two million Syrian refugees have settled. Turkey has been a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad while Russia has deployed troops and its air force in support of the Syrian leader.

REUTERS Armed police lockdown the area around the gallery in Ankara

REUTERS Security around the Russian embassy in Ankara has been stepped up

AHABER.COM Hostages are reportedly being held in the building

Speaking to Sky News about what sparked the attack, Chatham House Turkey expert Fadi Hakura said: “The relationship between Turkey and Russia over the situation in Aleppo. “This increased co-operation between the two countries may have prompted this assassination attempt.” He added: “I think that Russia will not take this lying down. I think Russia will intensify activities in Syria and Russian intelligence will track down the perpetrators of this assignation attempt. “They will adopt a robust line.”

He added that the attack will also lead to Turkey increasing its operations to track down Islamic State (ISIS) militants operating in the country. The United States condemned the gun attack on the Russian ambassador to Turkey and put the US embassy in Ankara on lockdown over a "security incident" hours after the shooting. US State Department spokesman John Kirby said: "We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source. ”Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family." US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington is ready to assist Russia and Turkey as they investigate the attack. The White House confimed President Barack Obama has been briefed by the national security team on the shooting. US President-elect Donald Trump condemned the assassination saying the shooter was a “radical Islamic terrorist”. Investigators are yet to reveal the gunman's motive or if he was linked to any Islamic terrorist organisation.

AHABER.COM Special forces have surrounded the building

AHABER.COM The Russian ambassador was seriously wounded in the shooting

AHABER.COM Ambulances and police cars lined up outside the art gallery

Prime Minister Theresa May said the shooting is "a matter of concern" as she was told about the attack during a speech in the House of Commons. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also left the chamber immediately after the Prime Minister's announcement. He tweeted: "Shocked to hear of despicable murder of Russia's Ambassador to Turkey. My thoughts are with his family. I condemn this cowardly attack." During a statement about last week's European Council, Mrs May told MPs: "I was just looking at what I believe, Mr Speaker, is some breaking news that the Russian ambassador to Turkey has been shot, which is a matter which has yet to be confirmed, but I think is a matter of concern."

TWITTER The ambassador, pictured moments before he was shot

YOUTUBE Andrei Karlov was making a speech when he was shot in Ankara

The United Nations also condemned the shooting and called for the perpetrator to be brought to justice. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: "We condemn the gun attack on the Russian ambassador to Turkey. There can be no justification for an attack on a diplomat or an ambassador. "We hope that the perpetrator will be brought to justice." Richard Moore, the UK's ambassador to Turkey, said on Twitter: "Devastating news about Andrei Karlov. My wife & my thoughts with his wife Marina & family & to all colleagues at Russian Embassy." He described Mr Karlov as "quietly spoken, hospitable (and) professional".

Shocked to hear of despicable murder of #Russia's Ambassador to #Turkey. My thoughts are with his family. I condemn this cowardly attack. — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 19, 2016