ISTANBUL: A Turkish woman employee was seriously wounded in an armed attack on Tuesday at Sweden’s honorary consulate in the western province of Izmir, officials and media reports said.
Tensions have flared between Sweden and Muslim countries following several protests involving public desecrations of the Qur'an — including setting pages alight.
Two men set a copy of the holy book alight outside the Swedish parliament in Stockholm on Monday in an act similar to others in recent weeks that have drawn condemnation.
The local governor’s office said the attack was carried out by a “mentally disabled” person with a gun in the Konak district of Izmir at 0945 GMT.
The attack took place outside Sweden’s honorary consulate, the private NTV broadcaster reported. The wounded woman, who was working as a secretary at the diplomatic mission, was in critical condition, it added.
Turkish authorities detained the assailant with the gun and launched an investigation into the incident, the governor’s office said.
The Swedish foreign ministry’s press service in Stockholm confirmed the attack and said in an email to AFP that it was “in close contact” with the general consulate in Istanbul which was in turn in contact with the honorary consulate in Izmir.
“Sweden’s general consul will travel to Izmir tomorrow to be informed of the situation and express her condolences.”
The ministry said it would “not comment on threat scenarios against the foreign mission or which security measures are being taken, as that could counter the purpose of the measures.”
Honorary consulates represent their nationals’ interests abroad but are not run by professional diplomats.