 Asides from his political work, Yüksel also founded and led "Akıncılar", a social welfare organization most prominent in the eastern Turkey, but existing throughout the country.Although Turkish Islamists of the day were careful to steer clear of the political violence between nationalist and Marxist factions in Turkey, many of them died nevertheless.On February 23, 1979, while leaving Friday prayers, Yüksel was shot dead outside Istanbul's Fatih Mosque by ultra-nationalist gunmen.