Pope expresses support for Istanbul’s Catholic Church attack victims

I express my closeness to the community of the Santa Maria Draperis Church in Istanbul, says the head of the Catholic Church

Pope Francis conveyed his solidarity with the victims of the Catholic church shooting in Istanbul where one person was killed in an armed attack during mass Sunday.

“I express my closeness to the community of the Santa Maria Draperis Church in Istanbul,” the Argentine pope said at the end of his weekly Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

The Sunday service at Santa Maria Church in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district was interrupted by a deadly armed assault, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

The minister revealed that the attack resulted in one death, with the possibility of several injuries.

The assault occurred during the church’s Sunday mass, a time when the congregation was gathered for prayer.

Details are still emerging from the scene, but early reports indicate that two individuals with ski masks forcibly entered the church courtyard and opened fire on prayer attendees.

The attack led to chaos and fear among the congregation, with many attempting to protect themselves by dropping to the ground amid loud gunshots.

The assailants fled the scene on foot. A significant number of police units were dispatched to the scene immediately following the incident.

Source: Newsroom & AFP

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