Jordan condemns assassination of Russian envoy in Turkey

AMMAN — The government on Tuesday condemned the deadly shooting of Andrey Karlov, Moscow’s ambassador to Turkey, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani said Jordan rejects all terrorist acts, which, he said, are aimed at damaging diplomatic relations among countries to create chaos and discord. 

Momani, who is also the minister of state for media affairs, stressed Jordan’s solidarity with both Turkey and Russia in the face of terrorist groups, extending the Kingdom’s condolences to the Russian government and the family of Karlov. 

Also on Tuesday, the Russian embassy in Amman announced the opening of a condolences book from Tuesday to Thursday over Karlov’s death. 

On Wednesday, the embassy will be open from 10am to 3pm. On  Thursday, it will receive guests from 10am to 1pm. 

A “veteran diplomat”,  Karlov was shot nine times in the back by an off-duty Turkish policeman, identified as Mevlut Mert Altintas, at the opening of an exhibition of Russian photography on Monday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. 

An unprecedented three-way meeting on Syria between the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran went ahead in Moscow Tuesday despite the assassination, with the diplomats backing a widening of a truce, AFP reported. 

A team of Russian investigators arrived in Turkey on Tuesday to probe the assassination of Moscow’s ambassador as both sides pledged the murder would not damage improving relations.

Six people have been detained over the Karlov assassination, including the sister, mother, father and uncle of the 22-year-old Altintas, AFP reported, quoting Turkish media.

The shooter reportedly shouted: “Don’t forget Aleppo!” as he gunned down the Russian envoy, according to Reuters.