One among Vladimir Putin’s foes has been found dead in Turkey where he had been living in exile under a distinct name.
Abakar Abakarov, who ran the Telegram channel ‘Morning Dagestan’, suffered multiple stab wounds, but the precise circumstances surrounding his killing haven’t yet been disclosed.
A cleaner discovered his body in a pool of blood at a rented villa in Istanbul on Friday after he has been missing for greater than per week.
The 49-year-old had been living under an assumed name, while attempting to flee Russian hitmen, local media has reported.
Abakarov was placed on Russia’s international wanted list after being accused of inciting anti-Kremlin riots in Dagestan through his channel.
He fled the country after the unrest at Makhachkala International Airport in 2023, which saw an antisemitic mob storm the airport.
Lots of of anti-Israel protesters arrived on the airport as a plane from Tel Aviv landed.
The unrest happened just three weeks after the Hamas massacre on Israel on October 7.
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Greater than 20 people were injured through the clashes, including nine law enforcement officials.
Shortly before the attack, the Telegram channel had broadcast antisemitic slogans and had called for the expulsion of alleged ‘refugees from Israel’.
On the time, Putin said: ‘The events in Makhachkala were inspired, including through social networks, partially from the territory of Ukraine, by the hands of the Western intelligence agencies.’
Earlier, Turkish newspaper Yenisafak reported that the body of a murdered man was present in an Istanbul villa on October 7.
The person had reportedly checked in on October 6 and received a guest the next day, who left with two bags.
The victim had no identification, but police reported that he was a citizen of one other country.
The Turkish authorities launched an investigation but haven’t commented on the case.
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