Turkish Police Chief Killed in Shooting by Fellow Serviceman

Turkish Provincial Police Director Altuğ Verdi, (Arabic Website)
Turkish Provincial Police Director Altuğ Verdi, (Arabic Website)
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Turkish Police Chief Killed in Shooting by Fellow Serviceman

Turkish Provincial Police Director Altuğ Verdi, (Arabic Website)
Turkish Provincial Police Director Altuğ Verdi, (Arabic Website)

Turkish Provincial Police Director Altuğ Verdi was killed and two officers were wounded in a shooting by a disgruntled colleague Tuesday at Rize Police Department in northeastern Turkey.

Verdi was taken to the hospital in critical condition but doctors were unable to save his life, Rize Governor Kemal Çeber said.

The unidentified suspect, who was wounded and arrested, was a Rize policeman who worked in the traffic department. The suspect was serving in the province's Derepazarı district and sought a new assignment in central Rize.

“In line with the security procedure, he checked out his pistol in the front desk outside police chief's room. When his request for reassignment was rejected by the police chief, he returned to the desk, grabbed his gun and stormed into the room,” Çeber said.

Turkey's Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said that all three wounded were immediately taken to the hospital to receive medical attention, but doctors later announced Verdi’s death. Special operations teams entered the building after gunshots were heard and precautions were taken to secure the premises.



Hard-Liner Ben-Gvir and His Party’s Other Israeli Cabinet Members Submit Their Resignations

Israeli far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, delivering a statement to the media, at his ministry headquarters in Jerusalem, 16 January 2025. (EPA)
Israeli far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, delivering a statement to the media, at his ministry headquarters in Jerusalem, 16 January 2025. (EPA)
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Hard-Liner Ben-Gvir and His Party’s Other Israeli Cabinet Members Submit Their Resignations

Israeli far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, delivering a statement to the media, at his ministry headquarters in Jerusalem, 16 January 2025. (EPA)
Israeli far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, delivering a statement to the media, at his ministry headquarters in Jerusalem, 16 January 2025. (EPA)

The party of Israel’s hard-line National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said its Cabinet ministers submitted their resignations from the government on Sunday in opposition to the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The departure of the Jewish Power party from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government does not bring down the coalition or affect the ceasefire. But Ben-Gvir’s departure destabilizes the coalition.

Israel announced Sunday the ceasefire would not come into effect as planned until Hamas hands over the list of hostages set to be freed later in the day as part of its commitments under the deal.

The delay on the first day of the ceasefire underscored the fragility of the internationally mediated deal.