Ankara

Two suicide bombers launched an attack near the Turkish Parliament and Ministry of Interior Affairs building on Sunday (Oct 1) in Ankara, the officials said. While one of the terrorists died in the explosion, the other was gunned down by security officers.

Advertisment

Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that two attackers approached the entrance of Turkey's Interior Ministry's General Directorate of Security at about 9.30am local time on Sunday in a commercial vehicle.

"One of the terrorists blew himself up and the other terrorist was neutralised," Yerlikaya said. He added that two police officers were "slightly injured" in the fire caused by the blast.

Turkish media also reported that gunshots were heard in the same area after the blast.

Advertisment

A clip from the CCTV footage that went viral on social media showed the moment the blast took place near Turkey's parliament. 

×

The attack came hours before the lawmakers were set to return to the parliament scheduled to reopen on Sunday after a three-month-long summer break. The explosion was the first in the Turkish capital since 2016. 

Advertisment

Bomb squads were seen working near a parked vehicle in the area on television, with Turkish media saying they were inspecting it. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack saying that the "terrorists" will never achieve their aims.

"The villains who threaten the peace and security of citizens have not achieved their objectives and will never achieve them," he said.

Media also reported extensive security measures, including the closure of traffic and dispatching of special operations police, fire department personnel and medical teams.

State-run run Anadolu news agency reported that Turkey’s criminal court of peace in Ankara has restricted media access and publication of the attack in accordance with a new law passed last year that curbs “disinformation”, with those accused of breaching the law threatened with up to three years in prison

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.