ANKARA - The senior U.S. envoy in Turkey said on Friday that doors of the consulate building in Istanbul were locked during Wednesday's armed attack in order to protect the consulate personnel and the Turks who were applying for a visa.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson said that the first thing U.S. representations were doing in case of an attack was to lock the doors, when commenting on questions why the U.S. security officers did not help the Turkish police officers who were in a clash with terrorists outside the consulate building and why the injured police officer was not admitted inside the building.
Four terrorists attacked the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul with pistols and shotguns on Wednesday, killing there police officers. Three assailants were also killed in the clash.
Wilson told reporters that the security officers in the consulate were not carrying weapons during the armed attack, and they were unarmed.
The ambassador said that he conveyed condolence message of the U.S. administration to Erdogan, and expressed his country's gratitude for the protection Turkey was providing for foreign representations.
(BRC-MS)
(GEN)