According to the Interior Minister of Turkey, Ali Yerlikaya, a suicide blast took place in front of the ministry building in the city of Ankara, which is the capital of Turkey. As a direct consequence of this, two police officers sustained injuries and required emergency evacuation.
The minister provided information that there were two assailants who were responsible for the blast. While the police were able to take down the second attacker, one of the attackers blew himself up. The explosion occurred about 9:30 a.m. local time, which is equivalent to 06:30 GMT.
Around the perimeter of the parliament building, the security forces are on high alert. It is in close proximity to the building that houses the Ministry of the Interior. Following the summer break, the legislative session has resumed. The afternoon session of parliament required the presence of each and every member of parliament, as well as the president, who is now known as Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting was scheduled to begin at about 2:00 pm.
According to the authorities, it is too soon to speculate on who could be responsible for the suicide blast in Turkey.
It’s possible that ISIS carried out the strike in retaliation for Turkish authorities’ ongoing operations against ISIL (ISIS) militants.
Updates:
President Erdogan says “terrorists” will never achieve their aims in Turkey in his address at the Turkish parliament.
“Today’s terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism,” Erdogan said.
“Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens’ security will never succeed,” he said.
(This is a Developing story.)
