TARGETING TURKEY-RUSSIA COOPERATION

The killer's remarks showed the murder was aimed at harming Ankara-Moscow ties, especially their cooperation on the Syrian issue, said Zan Tao, director of the Turkey studies center at the Pangoal Institution, a Chinese think tank.

Zan said the attack came at a time when Turkey and Russia are enjoying renewed relations. Together with Iran, the two are working to end the Syrian crisis.

The Chinese expert believes a warmer Ankara-Moscow relationship not only upsets Western countries, but also discomposes the extremist groups and opposition forces inside Syria.

Ankara and Moscow both seek to expand cooperation on the Syrian crisis, since they have common interests in combating extremist groups, Zan said.

Moreover, it is the priority for Ankara to prevent the Syrian Kurds from growing stronger during the war to jointly seek independence with the Kurdish people in Turkey and Iraq. On this issue, Ankara needs support from Moscow, which is gaining an increasingly stronger say on the Syrian issue.

Zan said the newly-established military consultation mechanism between Turkey and Russia helps them avoid clashes, allowing Turkey to continue its airstrike in northern Syria.

Remzi Azkan, former Moscow-based Turkish journalist at the Anadolu agency, said that Turkey's cross-border offensives against Kurdish forces in Syria have "tacit consent" from Russia.