Baghdad: The Head of the Republican People’s Party, Ozgour Ozal, was assaulted while leaving a memorial ceremony in Istanbul on Sunday. The incident occurred as Ozal was departing from a private ceremony honoring pro-Kurdish politician Thuraya Onder.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, video footage shared on social media platforms shows an elderly man approaching Ozal and slapping him in the face. The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that the suspect involved in the attack has been detained.

In response to the incident, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached out to Ozal via telephone to express his wishes for the opposition leader’s safety. During the call, President Erdogan conveyed his strong condemnation of the attack and assured Ozal of his attention to the details surrounding the incident.

Fakhruddin Alton, the Head of the Communication Department in the Turkish Presidency, communicated through a post on the X platform that the President expressed solidarity with Ozal and confirmed that an immediate investigation was launched. Alton stated, “We strongly condemn this attack, which targeted Mr. Ozal, and we wish him safety and recovery.”