Istanbul Deputy Mayor, Shot in the Head

Istanbul Deputy Mayor, Shot in the Head

In the aftermath of the failed coup attempt in Turkey, an unknown assailant on Monday shot the deputy mayor of Istanbul’s Sisli district in the head and he is said to be in a critical condition, Turkish broadcaster NTV reports.

According to the state broadcaster, the assailant had entered the office of deputy mayor Cemil Candas and then gun shots were heard.

There hasn’t been confirmation whether the assassination attempt was directly linked to Friday’s abortive military coup in which more than 200 people were killed.

Despite claims by President Tayyip Recep Erdogan that the threat has been annulled as government regains full control, Turkey remains in a state of high tension with the blanket of uncertainty still hovering across the country.

In a bid to forestall a recurrence and consolidate his position, Erdogan has hinted at a bid to revive the death penalty in the European country, a move that’s been strongly criticized by the opposition and the international community.

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) runs the prosperous Sisli district. Along with other opposition parties, the CHP has condemned the attempted coup.