Turkish ambassador condemns Paris shooting

By Murat Unlu

PARIS (AA) - Turkey's ambassador to France has condemned the “treacherous” shooting of a policeman in the city’s famous Champs-Elysees boulevard on Thursday night.

Ismail Hakki Musa told Anadolu Agency police immediately provided protection for a Turkish cultural attache who was in a Turkish tourism and cultural center in the area.

The attacker was killed after opening fire on a police vehicle with what witnesses described as a Kalashnikov assault rifle at around 9 p.m. local time (1900GMT) and attempting to flee. He was later shot dead.

Two police officers were injured in the assault, one of whom remains in hospital.

"The targeted police patrol is dispatched in front of the [Turkish] building as part of standard security measures that we asked for recently," Musa said, continuing:

"Unfortunately, this treacherous assault was carried out on this team who have the task of ensuring the safety and security of our team here."

The Turkish diplomat said protection had been provided under the French state of emergency to protect Turkey’s mission.

Extra security had also been requested "in response for some intelligence information that terrorist organizations such as the PKK and Daesh might carry out violent attacks," Musa added.

French police arrested three people overnight following the shooting, local media reported Friday.

The attack came less than three days before French voters were due to go to the polls in a presidential election.