Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday strongly condemned the “deplorable” terror attacks on two mosques in New Zealand’s Christchurch, saying it was the “latest example of rising racism and Islamophobia”, while offering his condolences to the Islamic world and the people of New Zealand.
“I strongly condemn the terror attack against the Al Noor Mosque in New Zealand and Muslim worshippers. May Allah have mercy on the victims and grant a speedy recovery to the wounded,” the president said in a series of tweets.
Other statements of condemnation from Turkish officials also came pouring in shortly after the attack.
The Turkish Presidency’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said these terror attacks served as “a reminder that a house divided cannot stand: it is time to unite against all forms of terrorism.”
Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın also urged the world to stop “Islamophobic fascist terrorism” and wished God’s mercy on those killed.
“Attack on two mosques in New Zealand shows the point where Islamopfobia, Muslim hostility reached,” Ibrahim Kalin, , said on Twitter.
“This cowardly act shows how anti-Muslim rhetoric and hatred leads to murderous acts,” and the point Islamophobia and Muslim hostility has reached in the world, he said.
Underlining that many incidents have proved that Islamophobic rhetoric against Islam and Muslims has turned into “a perverse and murderous ideology,” Kalın called on the world to break its silence over Islamophobic hatred.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the mass shootings at two mosques appeared to have been a well-planned “terrorist attack”, leaving 40 people killed and more than 20 seriously injured.
A man who claimed responsibility for the attack said he was a 28-year-old Australian and described anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim motives in a manifesto.
Police earlier said four people were taken into custody, and one has been identified as Australian.
