Syria condemns Russia ambassador's assassination

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has condemned "in the strongest terms" the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey. The ministry called the attack "terrorist and cowardly" in a statement late Monday.

The Russian-Turkish diplomatic channel is one of the most important to the Syrian civil war. Their diplomats brokered an agreement in Ankara last week to evacuate the Syrian opposition from the contested city of Aleppo after months of Syrian and Russian bombardment killed hundreds of civilians and exhausted the rebels -- some backed by Turkey.

After shooting the ambassador, the gunman cried, "Don't forget Aleppo!" Turkey's foreign and defense ministers are expected to meet in Moscow this week with their Iranian and Russian counterparts to discuss the next developments to the Syrian war.