Türkiye 'strongly' condemns Moscow concert hall terror attack: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his country 'strongly' condemned the terror attack at a concert hall in Moscow, which claimed the lives of at least 133 people.

In a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday, Erdogan expressed deep sorrow over the deadly attack and offered his condolences to the Russian people.

Türkiye is ready to develop cooperation with Russia in combating terrorism, with the understanding of fighting all kinds of terrorism without discrimination, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Communications Directorate.

"As a country that knows the bloody and treacherous face of terrorism very well, Türkiye shares the pain of the Russian people," Erdogan said in a meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Terrorism is “unacceptable” no matter where it comes from or who the perpetrator is, he added.

"Crime against humanity"

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also expressed Türkiye's condemnation of the attack in a telephone call to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov while conveying his condolences to the Russian people and government.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said separately in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we learned of the many deaths and injuries resulting from the attack on a concert hall in Moscow this evening."

In addition, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz wrote on X: "I condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack on a concert hall in Moscow, the capital of Russia, in which many people lost their lives and were injured."

"Terrorism targeting innocent people is a crime against humanity, no matter where it is in the world or who commits it," he said.

He offered condolences "to the families of those who lost their lives and the Russian people, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."

Yilmaz characterised terrorism as a "scourge" on the entire world. "Therefore, we need to increase international cooperation on terrorism," he said.

The vice president urged countries not to engage with terror organisations but to work together against them. "Whatever guise it may be under, religious, ethnic, or ideological, we condemn terrorism. Let me once again emphasise that terrorism is an inhumane method," he added.

"Heinous terrorist attack"

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus also condemned the "heinous terrorist attack" targeting civilians and extended condolences to Russia and its people.

Akif Cagatay Kilic, chief advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also condemned the attack "targeting innocent people at the concert hall in Moscow."

"Wherever in the world it may occur, we will stand against terrorist attacks targeting innocent civilians," he said on X.

"Our condolences to the Russian people and the Government of the Russian Federation," he added.

Türkiye's Ambassador to Moscow, Tanju Bilgic, "strongly" condemned the attack and offered condolences to Russia and its people on X.

Attack during concert

At least 133 people were killed in a shooting at a concert hall near Moscow, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Saturday.

According to preliminary information, The incident occurred in Krasnogorsk, the administrative centre of the Moscow region, where the music band Picnic was performing at Crocus City Hall. The group was uninjured in the attack, law enforcement agencies said.

An explosion at the venue later caused a large fire. The country's Emergency Ministry said about a third of the building was engulfed in flames, with several helicopters working to extinguish the blaze.

The ministry added that over 100 people have been evacuated from the building, with more people awaiting assistance on the roof.

Putin ordered that Sunday will be a nationwide day of mourning. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and left the concert hall a smouldering ruin.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned "in the strongest possible terms" a deadly attack targeting a concert hall northeast of central Moscow in Russia.

Russia had criticised the organisation's earlier statement, saying the UN should be "appalled", not "saddened" over the attack.

The foreign ministries and leaders of several European, Latin American, Eurasian and Middle Eastern countries, among others, expressed their condolences to the families of those killed or injured in the attack.

The French ministry, for its part, described the images as horrific and said, also on X, that "our thoughts go to the victims and injured, and the Russian people. All the light must be shed on those heinous acts."

EU spokesperson Peter Stano said on X that the bloc was "shocked and appalled by the reports of a terrorist attack" in Moscow.

"The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected," he added. Spain also condemned "any form of violence," saying: "We are dismayed by the news coming from Russia."