Turkish man shot in NZ mosque attack dies, toll mounts to 51

A Turkish man wounded in the Christchurch mosque shootings seven weeks ago died late Thursday in Christchurch Hospital, raising the death toll to 51, authorities in New Zealand and Turkey confirmed. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday the sad news would be felt across both countries.

Christchurch: A Turkish man, who sustained bullet injuries in the Christchurch mosque shootings on March 15, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital late on Thursday here.

With the lastest casualty, the death toll in the shooting mounts to 51, New Zealand authorities confirmed.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday the sad news would be felt across both countries.

Relations between Turkey and New Zealand have been strained since the attack after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showed clips from the gunman's livestreamed footage at his election campaign rallies to denounce hatred against Islam.

On March 15, an Australian national barged into two mosques in Christchurch and opened fire indiscriminately claiming lives of 50 people.