A suicide bomb attack hit the heart of Turkey’s capital, Ankara, earlier today, resulting in the declaration of a terrorist attack by the country’s Interior Minister.
The incident occurred just hours before the Turkish parliament was scheduled to reconvene.
The attack unfolded at 09:30 local time when two assailants arrived at the scene in a commercial vehicle. The attackers’ identities remain unknown. No group has claimed responsibility for the act of violence.
Reports suggest that the attackers hijacked the vehicle in Kayseri, a city located 260 kilometres (161 miles) southeast of Ankara, before making their way to the capital. Tragically, the assailants allegedly killed the vehicle’s driver during their journey.
As the assailants approached the Interior Ministry building, one of them detonated explosives in front of the government office.
Two police officers on duty at the scene were injured in the attack, with one sustaining shrapnel injuries from the explosion. The other attacker was neutralised by security forces in a swift response to the incident, preventing further harm.
The attack occurred just hours before the Turkish parliament was set to reconvene.
Investigations into the incident are currently underway, with law enforcement agencies attempting to uncover more details about the attackers and their motivations. The government has increased security measures across the capital in response to the attack, and the nation remains on high alert.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya took to social media to express his determination, stating, “Our struggle against terrorism will continue until all terrorists are neutralised.”
Ankara police have also taken precautionary measures, conducting controlled explosions of suspicious packages in the vicinity to mitigate any potential threats. These actions are part of a comprehensive security response aimed at ensuring the safety of the public.
Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to address the opening of the parliamentary session later. This session holds particular significance, as the Turkish parliament is expected to ratify Sweden’s entry into NATO during the autumn session. Turkey’s decision to drop its opposition to Sweden’s NATO application in July marked a pivotal moment in diplomatic relations, as the country had previously opposed it over concerns that Sweden was hosting Kurdish militants.
Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) militants, who were predominantly responsible for carrying out frequent attacks across Turkey, have come under intense pressure from Turkish authorities in recent years. This pressure has included the arrest of key leaders and military operations against Kurdish bases both within Turkey and across the border in Syria and Iraq.
