Employee of Swedish Consulate Reportedly Injured in Armed Attack on Building in Turkiye

ISTANBUL (Sputnik) - An employee of the Swedish consulate in the Turkish city of Izmir was injured as a result of an armed attack on the consulate building, a Turkish broadcaster reported on Tuesday.

According to preliminary information, the attack was carried out by a citizen of Syria, who was unsatisfied with the visa processing situation, the broadcaster reported.

Later in the day, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said it was in contact with its consulate general in Istanbul following the attack.

"The foreign ministry can confirm the incident and is in close dialogue with the Consulate General in Istanbul and our staff there," the ministry said in a statement seen by Swedish media.

The Swedish consul general in Istanbul is expected to travel to Izmir to assess the situation, the ministry added.

Izmir authorities said the attacker was a citizen with developmental disabilities and that the injured employee of the consulate had been hospitalized. The suspect has been detained, his weapon confiscated and a forensic investigation has been opened against him, the authorities added.