Two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the Interior Ministry buildings in Ankara, said the Turkish government on Sunday.
The explosion, the first of its kind in the city since 2016, occurred near the parliament and ministerial buildings. The attack took place just as the parliament was set to open a new session.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the incident on social media, revealing that the assailants arrived in a light commercial vehicle and detonated a bomb at the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
One of the attackers blew himself up, while the other was neutralized by authorities, indicating that the individual was killed. Two police officers sustained slight injuries in the incident, which happened at 9:30 am local time.
Following the blast, soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks, and armored vehicles rushed to the scene, with authorities swiftly launching an investigation into what is being termed a terrorist attack. The authorities did not specify any particular militant group responsible for the attack.
This incident comes almost a year after a similar attack in central Istanbul, where six people were killed and 81 others were wounded. Turkiye had blamed Kurdish militants for that attack.
In the past, during a period of violence between 2015 and 2016, Turkish cities witnessed multiple attacks attributed to Kurdish militants, Islamic State, and other extremist groups. Notably, in March 2016, 37 people lost their lives in Ankara when a bomb-laden car exploded at a crowded central transport hub.
In response to the incident, Ankara’s chief prosecutor initiated an investigation into the attack.
Meanwhile, President Tayyip Erdogan, who was scheduled to attend the opening of the parliament at 7:30 pm, condemned the attack. Security measures were heightened across the city, with authorities conducting checks at the parliament entrance as a precautionary measure, allowing no cars to pass through.
Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar of Pakistan strongly condemned the attack, pledging unwavering support to Turkey in their battle against this menace.
