A gunman opened fire on an association linked with the Kurtuluş Church in İstanbul’s Çekmeköy district on New Year’s Eve, apparently while shouting remarks reflecting religious intolerance, Turkish media reported on Tuesday.
The attack at the Kurtuluş Churches Association occurred on Tuesday evening, when the assailant fired multiple shots at the organization’s building from a vehicle. One bullet penetrated the metal shutter and glass window, lodging in an interior wall.
According to eyewitness accounts, the suspect shouted, “We will not allow you to brainwash our Muslim youth! You infidels will be defeated and driven into hell!”
No injuries were reported in the incident. Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack and police are reviewing surveillance footage in an effort to identify and apprehend the suspect.
The association had previously experienced a similar attack, raising concerns about repeated targeting.
New year celebrations have been the target of Muslim extremists in the past, including a night club bombing in 2017 that left 39 dead. In addition, the Islamic State in Syria and the Levant (ISIL) claimed credit for an attack on the Church of Santa Maria, a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul in January 2024, which resulted in one death.
Turkey has long been home to a diverse range of religious and ethnic communities, including Muslims, Christians and Jews. While the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, incidents of religious intolerance and discrimination have occurred.
Christian communities and others, which make up a small fraction of Turkey’s predominantly Muslim population, have faced periodic acts of vandalism, harassment and violence. Attacks on churches and religious associations, though relatively rare, have raised concerns among rights groups about growing intolerance and threats to religious freedom.
In recent years, public debate about religious pluralism and accusations of incitement by extremist groups have increased. Rights advocates continue to urge authorities to protect minority groups and prosecute perpetrators of hate crimes.
