The Turkish interior minister said that two terrorists carried out a bombing outside the ministry buildings in Ankara on Sunday, with one blowing himself up and the other being “neutralized” by law enforcement.
Two police officers were only mildly hurt, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, in the incident that reverberated around Ankara.
Terrorists’ carry out attack in heart of Ankara
“A bomb attack was carried out by two terrorists who arrived in a light commercial vehicle in front of the General Directorate of Security gate. The terrorist who blew himself up, according to the minister Ali Yerlikaya, was one of the group.
One of them “blew himself up,” he continued, and the other was “neutralized,” which generally means murdered. Until every terrorist has been eliminated, “our fight will go on,” Yerlikaya wrote.
Around 9:30 a.m. local time, there was a loud explosion in the Kizilay neighborhood in the center of the city, which was followed by reports of shooting.
Security personnel have subsequently installed barriers there, and television video depicted bomb disposal teams working close to a parked car in the vicinity, which is close to the Turkish Grand National Assembly and other government structures.
According to Anadolu Agency, the chief public prosecutor’s office in Ankara opened an investigation into the terrorist incident.
Police forces tightened security in the area after the explosion.
Due to the explosion, which happened not far from one of the Grand National Assembly’s entrances, the important Ataturk Boulevard was closed to traffic.
Additionally, special operations police were sent to the area.
After a three-month hiatus, the Grand National Assembly will reconvene in the afternoon.
An explosion was reportedly heard close to the parliament and ministerial buildings, and media outlets in Turkey displayed footage of rubble lying around on a street near the interior ministry.
As police shut several surrounding roads, Reuters video showed soldiers, ambulances, fire vehicles, and an armored vehicle assembling close to the center of Turkey’s city.
