Ankara bomb attack: One terrorist dead, another 'neutralised'

Ankara:  Turkiye's Interior Minister confirmed that a bomb attack took place in front of the ministry buildings in Ankara on Sunday.

According to the minister, two terrorists were involved in the attack. During the attack, one of the terrorists died while the other was "neutralised" by the authorities.

The latest reports from Turkish media initially indicated an explosion near the parliament and ministerial buildings. Television broadcasts displayed scenes of debris strewn across a street close to the Interior Ministry.

Another footage showed a significant presence of soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks, and an armored vehicle near the heart of Turkiye's capital. Police had cordoned off several nearby roads.

#BREAKING: Two terrorists carry out attack in front of General Directorate of Security in Turkish capital of Ankara, one neutralised, other blows himself – Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya pic.twitter.com/Jx45Y0ZJ0z

— TRT World (@trtworld) October 1, 2023

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, in a statement on the social media platform X, mentioned that two police officers sustained minor injuries during the incident, which occurred at 9:30 am (0630 GMT). He explained, “Two terrorists arrived in 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." He further stated that one of the terrorists detonated himself, while the other was "neutralised," typically implying that the second attacker was killed. Yerlikaya concluded, "Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised."

Ankara's chief prosecutor initiated an investigation into what was termed a terrorist attack. However, specific details about the militant group responsible were not disclosed.

NEW: Ankara attack footage from this morning. #Turkey pic.twitter.com/CshYPAB64H

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) October 1, 2023

This blast marked the first such incident in Ankara since 2016 and coincided with the opening of a new parliamentary session.

Almost a year earlier, central Istanbul witnessed an explosion in a bustling pedestrian street, resulting in six fatalities and 81 injuries. Turkiye attributed that incident to Kurdish militants.

During a period of heightened violence in 2015 and 2016, various groups, including Kurdish militants and the Islamic State, were either linked to or claimed responsibility for several attacks in major Turkish cities. In March 2016, a bomb-laden vehicle exploded at a crowded central transport hub in Ankara, claiming the lives of 37 individuals.

President Tayyip Erdogan was scheduled to attend the parliament's opening session at 7:30 pm. During the upcoming weeks, the parliament was expected to deliberate on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership, following initial objections raised by Turkiye.

Turkish media reported heightened security measures, including checks at the parliament, following the blast at the ministry. Although the entrance remained open, cars were not allowed to pass as part of precautionary measures.