One or more individuals shot on Monday (20) against
the US embassy in Ankara, leaving no casualties, Turkish officials said.
Six shots were fired at the US Legation at 0530 local
time (11:30 a.m. on Sunday in Brasilia), indicated Ankara's rule, which added
that three bullets struck the iron gate and the outer wall. "There are no
victims," he said.
Turkish police have arrested a suspect linked to the
attack, state news agency Anadolu reported, without giving details.
In an embassy's safehouse it was possible to see
clearly the impact of a bullet, an AFP journalist has confirmed.
"We can confirm that a security incident happened
this morning," David Gainer, a spokesman for the US embassy, told AFP
that he also confirmed that there were no injuries.
The incident happened at a time of great tension
between the United States and Turkey.
After the arrest for 18 months and subsequent house
arrest of an American pastor, Washington, which demands the release of the
religious, announced sanctions against Ankara, which responded immediately.
"The attack on the US embassy is an obvious
provocation," said Ömer Celik, a former minister for European Affairs and
current spokesman for the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
US sanctions led to a sharp devaluation of the Turkish
lira.
Before the Muslim feast of the sacrifice, President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement on Monday: "There is no difference
between the attacks on our economy and those that aim at our flag or our prayer
request."
"Those who think that they can make us give in
with currency quotations will soon see their mistake," he added, leaving
the tensions in evidence.
