By Elton Gomes
Amidst an escalating row between Turkey and the United States, several gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the United States Embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Monday. The gunshots reportedly hit the window of a security office but no casualties were reported.
The news coincides with increasing tensions between the two NATO allies regarding the trial of an American pastor in Turkey. Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesperson condemned the attack as an attempt “to create chaos.” The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that it has increased security measures for the US embassy and other US missions and employees in Turkey.
Reuters reported that the unidentified gunmen fired six bullets at an embassy security gate from a passing white vehicle around 5:30 a.m. local time. As per a statement from the Ankara governor’s office, three bullets hit an iron door and a window.
David Gainer, an embassy spokesperson, said, “We can confirm a security incident took place at the U.S. Embassy early this morning. We have no reports of any injuries and we are investigating the details.” Gainer added, “We thank the Turkish National Police for their rapid response,” as per the Reuters report.
Ankara and Washington have been involved in a dispute over the detention of an American pastor – Andrew Brunson – on terror-related charges. US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on aluminium and steel imports from Turkey. Around last week, Turkey threatened to respond in the same way if Trump imposed further sanctions.
Turkey warned
Trump’s top national security aide warned Turkey’s ambassador on Monday that the US has nothing further to discuss until the detained American pastor, Andrew Brunson, is freed, as per two people privy to the matter. The move indicated that the row between Ankara and Washington would continue as the Turkish lira crisis spread to emerging markets.
The two people said that White House National Security Adviser John Bolton delivered the message to Ambassador Serdar Kilic in Washington. Turkey’s non-compliance to free Brunson has become the bone of contention between the two countries. In order to free Brunson, Turkey urged the US to drop an ongoing investigation into Halkbank, one of the biggest state-owned Turkish banks. However, the Trump administration rejected this proposal.
Halkbank is facing major fines for allegedly violating US sanctions on Iran. If the US drops its probe, the Turkish government would release Brunson. Turkey has accused Brunson of spying and trying to overthrow the present government after a failed coup in 2016. Trump, however, rubbished all allegations, saying that the charges against Brunson were “phony” and that “he is not a spy.”
“A real NATO ally wouldn’t have arrested Brunson in the first place,” a White House official said, CNBC reported.
US imposes sanctions
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on two top officials in President Erdogan’s Cabinet in an attempt to free Brunson. With regards to Turkey’s imprisonment of Andrew Brunson, the US Treasury Department acted against Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. The US has blamed both ministers for allegedly being involved in Brunson’s arrest and detention. The sanctions were sure to widen a rift between the two nations.
Julianne Smith, the deputy national security adviser to former vice president Joseph Biden Jr, said, “The relationship is now officially in crisis, and the only way out is for Erdogan to do what he hates the most: back down,” the New York Times reported.
According to the New York Times, a senior Trump administration official said that Trump’s discontent was because he thought he had reached a deal with Erdogan to free Brunson if Israel releases a Turkish woman held on charges of funding Hamas. The Turkish woman went free, but Brunson remained on house arrest. Erdogan denied that such a deal had taken place.
Breaking point
Relations between Turkey and the US have been increasingly becoming fragile. Anticipating the effects of Trump’s sanctions, the Turkish lira fell again on Friday. The lira dropped approximately 5%, to about 6.11 per dollar, after Trump’s tweet warned Turkey of punitive measures if Brunson is not released.
The Trump administration is leaving no stone unturned to secure the release of Brunson. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the US is prepared to take the diplomatic conflict with Turkey ot the next level, and it could impose new sanctions if Erdogan does not release Brunson. “We have more that we’re planning to do if they don’t release him quickly,” Mnuchin said during a White House cabinet meeting, Business Insider reported.
Weighing in on the conflict between the two NATO allies, Soner Cagaptay, Washington Institute fellow, said, “Political ties will remain tense until Erdogan finds a way to release Brunson and sell it in Turkey,” as per a report in Axios. Erdogan also has to keep in mind Turkey’s economy due to a falling lira and its global ramifications.
Elton Gomes is a staff writer at Qrius
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