ANKARA – In a shocking incident on Sunday, the Turkish government reported that two terrorists executed a bomb attack in front of the Interior Ministry buildings in Ankara. One of the assailants lost his life in the explosion, while the other was “neutralized” by the authorities on the scene.
The explosion sent shockwaves through the area near the parliament and ministerial buildings, as Turkish media outlets initially reported. Broadcasters swiftly displayed images of debris strewn across a nearby street.
This devastating blast marks the first such incident in Ankara since 2016 and took place on the very day that the Turkish parliament was scheduled to commence a new session. Reuters captured footage depicting a significant presence of soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks, and armored vehicles converging at the ministry building, located in the heart of Turkey’s capital.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya took to the social media platform X to confirm that two police officers had sustained minor injuries in the incident, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. (0630 GMT). He stated, “Two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack.” Yerlikaya added that one of the attackers detonated explosives, while the other was “neutralized,” often an euphemism for being killed. He emphasized, “Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized.”
The police also announced their intent to conduct controlled explosions for “suspicious package incidents” in various parts of Ankara, a precautionary measure taken in the wake of the attack.
Authorities have not attributed responsibility to any specific militant group at this time.
This explosion is a grim reminder of the events that transpired nearly a year ago when six individuals lost their lives, and 81 others were wounded in a blast on a bustling pedestrian street in central Istanbul. In that case, Turkey pointed the finger at Kurdish militants.
The period from 2015 to 2016 witnessed a wave of violence, with Kurdish militants, ISIS, and other groups either claiming responsibility for or being held accountable for numerous attacks in major Turkish cities. In March 2016, 37 lives were tragically lost in Ankara when a car laden with explosives detonated at a crowded central transport hub.
In response to the recent incident, Ankara’s chief prosecutor launched an investigation, labeling it a terrorist attack.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been scheduled to attend the opening of parliament at 7:30 p.m., an event that is expected to consider the ratification of Sweden’s bid to join NATO after Turkey had initially voiced objections.
Turkish media outlets reported that security checks were being carried out at the parliament building following the blast at the ministry. A source informed Reuters that the entrance was open but no vehicles were being allowed through as a precautionary measure.