On January 28th, 2024, two suspects opened fire on the Santa Maria Catholic church in Istanbul, Turkey. he attack came as a shock and matter of devastation for the entire nation. According to Duval English, the targeted attack resulted in the death of a single man, who had religious affiliations outside of the Catholic church. In fact, Tuncer Murat Cihan, the victim, was Alevi, a religious minority whose beliefs draw on Shia Islam, Sufi beliefs, and Anatolian folk traditions. The victim had gone into the church while out for a walk, his cousin said when interviewed.  

Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it was a response to a call by the organization’s leaders to target Jews and Christians. The two suspects were foreign nationals, one from Russia and the other from Tajikistan. Alongside the two suspects, there are a number of people who have been arrested in relation to the shooting, and while the number of arrests varies between sources, there have been an estimated 25-50 people taken into custody. 

No additional deaths or injuries have been reported by authorities, and it is safe to say that the attack would have been deadlier had one of the firearms not gotten jammed in the process of the shooting. 

According to reports, a funeral was held for Tuncer Murat Cihan at a Cemevi, the Alevi place of worship in accordance with the traditional rituals.