6 Killed Near US Consulate in Istanbul

Source: Alalam.ir, 09-07-2008

ISTANBUL--An armed attack against a police guard post outside the US consulate in Istanbul has left three police and three attackers dead, the city's governor said.

Governor Muammer Guler told reporters at the scene Wednesday that "three policemen were martyred and three attackers were killed.'' He adds that ``the attackers' identities and their affiliation with any organization are under investigation.''

He says two people were hurt, including a policeman and the driver of a towing vehicle.

A US Embassy spokeswoman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were no reports of casualties among American consulate employees.

She said about 11 am (0800 GMT) Wednesday, "at least one assailant opened fire on the Turkish police guard post area near the main entrance to the consulate.''

The consulate was moved to its current high-security location in 2003 as foreign missions across the world enhanced security measures following the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York.

The most recent attack on a foreign mission in Turkey was in 2003 when Al-Qaeda militants detonated a car bomb outside the British consulate in Istanbul, and simultaneously attacked the British HSBC bank.