US condemns attack on Turkish House in NYC
An NYPD vehicle is photographed in front of the Turkish House in New York City, May 22, 2023. (AA Photo)


The United States condemned the recent attack on the Turkish House (Türkevi) in New York city, which also houses the country's diplomatic mission.

"We condemn the vandalism. Violence against diplomatic missions within the United States is a punishable crime," said Matthew Miller, spokesperson for State Department, at a press briefing on Monday.

Miller said the State Department's Diplomatic Security service is working with local law enforcement authorities on the investigation.

Miller's statement did not mention the possibility of a terrorist attack by sympathizers of the PKK and its Syrian offshoot YPG terrorists.

The Turkish House in New York, a dedicated building for diplomatic missions and cultural events which opened in 2021, right across from the U.N., was attacked in the early hours of Monday.

The assailant smashed the windows of the building at 3.14 a.m. local time, Turkish Consul General in New York Reyhan Özgür told Anadolu Agency (AA).

No one was hurt but 12 windows and the doors of the building were damaged.

He said the assailant, who has yet to be identified, left a crowbar at the scene.

The building was cordoned off by the New York Police Department and an investigation is ongoing.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged U.S. authorities to immediately find the perpetrator of the attack and hold him/her accountable for their crime.

The U.N. also condemned the attack, saying that any attack targeting diplomatic missions was unacceptable.