Galip Balkar
Galip Balkar (1936 – 11 March 1983) was a Turkish diplomat. He was assassinated by two Armenian gunmen in 1983 during his duty as the Turkish ambassador to Yugoslavia.
Galip Balkar | |
|---|---|
| 27th Turkish Ambassador to Yugoslavia | |
| In office 1 November 1981 – 9 March 1983 | |
| President | Kenan Evren |
| Preceded by | Hikmet Özkan |
| Succeeded by | Ali Hikmet Alp |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1936 Istanbul, Turkey |
| Died | 11 March 1983 (aged 47) Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Alma mater | Ankara University |
| Profession | Diplomat |
Life and career
Galip Balkar was born in 1936 in Istanbul. He was graduated from Ankara University, Law School. In 1939, he entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was appointed the Ambassador of Turkey to Yugoslavia in 1981.
Assassination
On 9 March 1983,[1] two Armenian gunmen opened fire with small firearms[2] at Galip Balkar's auto, which stopped for a red light at a major downtown intersection in Belgrade.[2] Balkar and his chauffeur Necati Kaya were wounded, the condition of the ambassador being critical.[2] The two assailants then attempted to run away from the scene. Two Yugoslav security agents in the area chased them and shots were exchanged.[2] The gunmen wounded one of the agents, Slobodan Brajević. Another shot aimed at Brajević had ricocheted off a wall and slightly wounded an office worker, Zorica Solotić. A student, Željko Milivojević, from Inđija was killed by one of the terrorists with three shots.
Galip Balkar died on 11 March[3] in the neurosurgical clinic in Belgrade where he was in critical condition after emergency surgery for two bullet wounds, one in the head, the other through the right shoulder to the spine.
See also
References
- Terrorist Group Profiles. ISBN 1-56806-864-6. August 1989, p. 53
- "Gunmen Wound Turkish Envoy to Belgrade". The Washington Post. March 10, 1983.
- "Turk Dies in Belgrade; Two Gunmen Held". The New York Times. March 12, 1983.