Turkey's Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, announced on Sunday that a bomb attack near government buildings in Ankara had been carried out by two individuals he referred to as "terrorists." One of them died in the explosion, while the other was reportedly "neutralized" by authorities.
The incident, which occurred around 9:30 am local time, resulted in slight injuries to two police officers. Yerlikaya explained that the two attackers arrived in a light commercial vehicle and executed the bomb attack at the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security, part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. One attacker detonated himself, and the other was neutralized, which typically means killed. Yerlikaya affirmed Turkey's commitment to continue its efforts until all terrorists are neutralized.
Ankara's chief prosecutor initiated an investigation into what is being termed a terrorist attack, but no specific militant group has been identified as responsible.
This bombing marks the first such incident in Ankara since 2016 and coincides with the opening of a new parliamentary session. In the past, Turkey attributed similar attacks to Kurdish militants, but no group has claimed responsibility for this incident. In 2015 and 2016, Turkey experienced a series of violent acts attributed to various groups, including Kurdish militants and ISIS. One notable incident in March 2016 resulted in the deaths of 37 people in Ankara when a car bomb exploded at a crowded transport hub.
President Tayyip Erdogan was scheduled to attend the parliamentary session, which was set to discuss Sweden's bid to join NATO, a topic that had initially faced objections from Turkey.
Reports indicate that security measures were heightened around the parliament building following the explosion, with the entrance open but no vehicles allowed through as a precaution.
