ANKARA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkey condemned the killing of a senior Turkmen politician by gunmen in northern Iraq on Sunday, Turkish media reported on Monday.

    Yavuz Efendioglu, provincial chairman of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, was shot dead by gunmen in a speeding car in front of his house in the eastern part of the northern Iraqi city Mosul, the semi-official Anatolia news agency said.

    In a statement, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed profound sorrow over the assassination of the Turkmen politician, the agency reported.

    "Those who are responsible for this heinous attack in a critical period in Iraq should be brought to justice as soon as possible," the ministry was quoted as saying.

    It underscored the importance of efforts to ensure tranquility and stability in Iraq, noting that Turkey will "continue mobilizing all its capabilities" to assist the process.

    Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had called relatives of Efendioglu and the leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front to offer his condolences, said Anatolia.