With Christmas fast approaching, it almost seems like any troubles in this world are just fading away. Unfortunately the opposite is true. Today, within hours of each other there were two major terror attacks. The first took place in Ankara, Turkey.

BREAKING: Russian ambassador to Turkey shot in Ankara https://t.co/ZqTQPcgepA #FOXNewsWorld

— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 19, 2016

Andrei Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey was speaking at an art exhibit in Ankara at the time.

Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was assassinated at an Ankara art exhibit on Monday evening by a lone Turkish gunman shouting “God is great!” and “don’t forget Aleppo, don’t forget Syria!” in what Russia called a terrorist attack.

The gunman, who was described by Ankara’s mayor as a policeman, also wounded at least three others in the assault, which was captured on Turkish video. Turkish officials said he was killed by other officers in a shootout.

Understandably the relationship between the two countries has likely faced a major setback. Which doesn’t bode well for anyone. Putin, is of course, not pleased. He believes this is a ploy to derail the relationship between Turkey and Russia, plus halt the quest for a solution concerning Syria. He also demanded answers as to who put the gunman up to the attack.

Meanwhile the Turkish government has vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into Ambassador Karlov’s assassination saying that this attack “shows the most disgusting and barbaric face of terrorism.”

As mentioned above, that wasn’t the only terrorist attack today. The second took place in Berlin at the Christkindl market.

https://twitter.com/DannyNis/status/810930542686380032

Initially many in the media were calling it a truck ‘crash.’ However, they are quickly amending those headlines as German authorities provide additional information. Namely that this attack bears a direct resemblance to the horrific terrorist attack in Nice on Bastille Day last summer, and authorities are calling it a terrorism.

Unfortunately this wasn’t the only attack on a German Christmas market in recent weeks.

Prosecutors in Ludwigshafen said a 17-year-old boy of Iraqi heritage attempted to blow up a device at the local Christmas market on November 26, the Local reported. The device failed to detonate and tried again on December 5.

The device was hidden in a rucksack filed with nails and placed in a bush near the town hall.

Two things to note regarding these terrorist attacks.

A. There have been warnings about this style of attack on soft targets for months now from European authorities and intelligence experts here in the US.

B. The Berlin attack comes right out of a certain playbook.

DPA news agency: truck plowing into Berlin market being treated as attack. Here's from ISIS mag Rumiyah Nov. issue ordering truck attacks. pic.twitter.com/Ymh2qk39D2

— Bridget Johnson (@Bridget_PJM) December 19, 2016

Just before finishing this for publication, the news breaks of an attack in Zurich, Switzerland.

Three people shot and wounded at Islamic centre popular with Somalis in Zurich as heavily-armed police launch a manhunt for the gunman

Its not that the gunman shot people on the street near the centre. No, those wounded were inside at their prayers when the attack happened.

https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/810936071244509184

Its a new normal that we shouldn’t get used to. Its a new normal that should make us angry and in fact it should make us very VERY vigilant. Just because it happened in some other country, doesn’t mean it can’t happen here.

Because it did in San Bernardino, Nashville, Orlando…and it could happen again. Terrorism is real folks and it has no boundaries. So by all means live life to the fullest and celebrate this Christmas season. Be merry and bright, but also… BE VIGILANT.