Video: 30 Killed In Terrorist Attack In Heart Of Ankara

On Sunday, two assailants triggered an explosion near government buildings in Ankara, Turkey. The attack resulted in the deaths of both attackers and injuries to two police officers. This incident is being described by authorities as the capital’s first terrorist attack in several years.

CCTV footage, acquired by Reuters, depicted a vehicle arriving at the primary gate of the Interior Ministry. One of the individuals inside the vehicle swiftly advanced toward the building and was then consumed by an explosion, while the other individual remained on the street.

Watch | CCTV footage shows the moment of a blast in #Turkey's capital of #Ankara.
Turkey's government stated that two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the Interior Ministry buildings in Ankara, adding one of them died in the explosion and the other was… pic.twitter.com/qKfZncQIaK
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 1, 2023

The explosion resulted in the death of one of the terrorists, while the other was “neutralized” or eliminated, according to the interior minister. This incident sent shockwaves through a central district housing ministerial buildings and the nearby parliament.

During the inauguration of a new parliamentary session several hours later, President Tayyip Erdogan referred to the morning’s assault as “the latest attempt” to sow fear among the Turkish populace.

“Those who threaten the peace and security of citizens have not achieved their goals and never will,” he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at reopening of parliament:
– Türkiye has made great progress in terms of development
– We no longer live in a country where parliament shut down and coups implemented
– Our new duty is to make sure that we have a new civilian constitution pic.twitter.com/y4TqFt14I3
— TRT World (@trtworld) October 1, 2023

The explosion that occurred on Ataturk Boulevard marked the first such incident in Ankara since 2016 when a series of deadly attacks afflicted the nation. Subsequent video footage depicted a Renault cargo vehicle stationed at the site, with shattered windows and open doors, amid debris. The scene was surrounded by soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks, and armored vehicles.

According to a high-ranking Turkish official who spoke with Reuters, the assailants had commandeered the vehicle and fatally assaulted its driver in Kayseri, a city located 260 kilometers (161 miles) to the southeast of Ankara, before executing the attack. Additionally, one of the wounded officers sustained injuries from shrapnel.

“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,” Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, said on social media platform X.

Saat 09.30 sıralarında İçişleri Bakanlığımız Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü giriş kapısı önüne hafif ticari araçla gelen 2 terörist bombalı saldırı eyleminde bulunmuştur.
Teröristlerden biri kendini patlatmış, diğer terörist etkisiz hale getirilmiştir.
Açılan ateş sırasında 2 Emniyet…
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) October 1, 2023

Today’s assault has been claimed by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an organization designated as a terrorist group by both Turkey and its Western allies.

“A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade,” the PKK told the ANF news agency, which is close to the Kurdish movement.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar strongly denounced the “dastardly terrorist attack” and expressed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with its Turkish counterparts in the battle against the menace of terrorism.

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. I have no doubt that under the dynamic leadership of my brother @RTErdogan, the…
— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) October 1, 2023