Suicide Bomb Attack Near Turkey’s Parliament
Attack in Ankara
On a Sunday in Ankara, a suicide bomb attack occurred near Turkey’s parliament. The interior ministry reported that two attackers arrived in a commercial vehicle at around noon (IST) in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of the Ministry of the Interior. They carried out a bomb attack.
Attackers Neutralized
One of the attackers detonated the bomb, while the other was killed in a shootout with the police. Fortunately, only two police officers sustained minor injuries.
Location Significance
The blast took place in an area housing several ministries and the Turkish parliament, which was scheduled to reopen that day with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s address after a three-month summer recess.
Unknown Assailants
As of now, there is no immediate information available about the identity of the assailants. Turkey has experienced attacks from various groups in the past, including Kurdish and far-left militant groups and the Islamic State.
Parliamentary Session
During the parliamentary session, Erdogan was expected to speak, and it was crucial for the validation of Sweden’s entry into the NATO alliance. In July, Turkey and Hungary lifted their vetoes against Sweden’s entry, but the ratification process had been slow.
Erdogan’s Concerns
Erdogan had expressed concerns about Sweden’s response to Koran desecrations, which had strained relations between the two countries. While he indicated in July that ratification might not occur before October, it is anticipated to be approved during this parliamentary year.
Ankara’s History of Attacks
Ankara, the capital city, experienced several attacks in recent years, particularly in 2015 and 2016. Many of these attacks were attributed to the outlawed separatist group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), or the Islamic State group. Ankara and its Western allies classify the PKK as a terrorist group, and it has been involved in an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.
Kurdish Militants in Control
Kurdish militants affiliated with the PKK control large parts of northeastern Syria.
Previous Attacks
In October 2015, an attack in front of a central station in Ankara, attributed to the Islamic State group, resulted in the loss of 109 lives.
Recent Incident
The most recent bomb attack in Turkey occurred on a shopping street in Istanbul in November 2022, where six people were killed, and 81 others were injured.
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