Istanbul district deputy mayor killed after attacker raids office

An Istanbul deputy mayor was killed on Monday after being shot in the head by an unknown assailant.

Cemil Candas, a member of the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and deputy mayor of the prosperous Sisli district of Istanbul, was reportedly shot after an assailant entered his office on Monday, according to NTV.

It is unknown as of yet whether the shooting was linked to Friday’s attempted military coup. 

Although the CHP has been fiercely critical of the AKP government, the party has strongly condemned Friday’s coup attempt in numerous statements.

"We condemn the coup attempt [against] our parliamentary democracy by a junta within Turkish Armed Forces," said a statement released on Monday.

"With regards to Turkey’s respectability, [the process of holding coup plotters accountable] should only be conducted within the limits of the rule of law.”

Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu had swiftly opposed the coup on the day it took place, saying: "This country was wracked with coups. We do not want to go through the same troubles."