9 hurt, 2 arrested in altercation at Turkish Embassy in Washington

Nine people were hurt and two arrested during an altercation at the Turkish ambassador’s residence in the U.S. capital, authorities said.

Doug Buchanan, a DC Fire and EMS spokesman, said two of those hurt were seriously injured and were taken to hospitals by ambulance. He said by phone that emergency personnel were called to the residence about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said the altercation broke out between two groups but he didn’t elaborate on the circumstances. He said two people were arrested, including one who was charged with assaulting a police officer.

The altercation came the same day that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with President Trump at the White House. The State Department declined to comment.

The Turkish president on Tuesday received the full White House treatment short of a state dinner, a reception meant to mollify a key ally who had been humiliated only a week earlier when Trump authorized a Syrian war plan Erdogan had opposed.

Trump met Erdogan at the door, led him to an Oval Office meeting, stood next to him for joint statements and hosted him for lunch. It was a delicate balance after Trump had signed off on a plan vehemently opposed by Turkey that authorizes directly arming Syrian Kurds known as the YPG in the fight to take back Raqqah, Islamic State’s self-declared capital.

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