Two "terrorists" carried out an attack in front of the ministry buildings in the Turkish capital of Ankara with one of them blowing himself, Turkey's interior minister said on Sunday, following reports of a loud explosion.
Taking to X, Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister said: "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."
He added that one of them died in the explosion and the other was "neutralised" by authorities there.
Yerlikaya said that two police officers were slightly injured in the incident which attack occurred hours before Parliament was scheduled to reopen following a summer recess. Security forces have surrounded the area and closed all roads leading to it.
Earlier, Turkish media reported that an explosion was heard near the parliament and ministerial buildings.
Furthermore, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the terrorist attack. The Ankara Criminal Court of Peace has also issued a media access and publication ban in relation to the attack.
Special operations police also were dispatched to the scene. The fire brigade and medical teams are also on the scene, AA reported.
The Grand National Assembly will open in the afternoon after a 3-month break.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar expressed solidarity with the Turkish people following the "dastardly terrorist attack".
“Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack in Ankara today. We stand in complete solidarity with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism,” the premier wrote on his official X handle.
“I have no doubt that under the dynamic leadership of my brother Tayyip Erdogan, the resolute Turkish nation will emerge ever stronger from this challenge.”
Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif denounced the terrorist attack and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.
“I strongly condemn the terrorist attack near the Turkish Parliament in Ankara. Our prayers are with the injured police officers for a swift recovery and the safety of our Turkish brothers and sisters. The people of Pakistan express unwavering solidarity with the citizens and government of Türkiye,” he added.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the blast and urged the international community to unite against terrorism.
“The world should unite to end terrorism. Terrorists are a threat to world peace,” Zardari was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the PPP media cell.
Former foreign minister Bilawal said the ideology of terrorism can be defeated with the help of the best strategy, strong determination, and courage.
“The world will have to continue its struggle against subversive thinking until the end of the last terrorist,” he added.
Russian Presdient Vladimir Putin also faces ICC arrest warrant as judicial body takes actions over Ukraine war
Assange has spent more than a decade either imprisoned or holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy in London
A Korean Air flight was forced to U-turn and make an emergency landing after the plane dropped altitude
US State Department praises Pakistan govt's improved efforts against human trafficking in this year's TIP report
Julian Assange is free, his wife wrote on social media and confirmed that he has left Britain
First presidential debate for US election is going to take place between US president and Republican candidate
