In a disturbing incident that sent shockwaves through the Turkish capital, Ankara, a suicide bomber targeted the interior ministry buildings, marking the first such attack in the city since 2016. The assailants, identified as terrorists by government officials, unleashed their deadly act less than a mile away from the parliament building, just hours before lawmakers were set to reconvene following a three-month summer recess.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya disclosed on the social media platform X that the two attackers, using a commercial vehicle, approached the general security directorate building at approximately 9:30 AM local time on a fateful Sunday morning. According to Yerlikaya, one of the assailants detonated explosives, resulting in their own demise, while the other met their end under a hail of gunfire from security forces stationed outside the building. In the wake of the attack, two police officers sustained minor injuries.
The aftermath of the incident saw authorities swiftly close a major thoroughfare, which passes in proximity to various state institutions, including the parliament building. Additionally, police announced their intention to conduct controlled explosions in response to “suspicious package incidents” in different parts of the city.
Notably, the Turkish criminal court of peace in Ankara swiftly imposed a media access ban and restricted publication of information regarding the attack. This action followed the implementation of a comprehensive law against “disinformation” by Turkish authorities last year, which threatened individuals with up to three years in prison for violating the law.
This tragic event in Ankara is part of a series of attacks that have plagued Turkey in recent years, with authorities often attributing them to the Islamic State or Kurdish militant groups. In a particularly devastating incident in February 2016, a bomb targeted a convoy of military vehicles during rush hour in Ankara, claiming the lives of 30 individuals and injuring 60 others. A month later, a second bomb struck a central boulevard in the city, resulting in 37 fatalities and 125 injuries, with responsibility claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, a Kurdish militant group.
In response to the latest attack, Turkish officials were quick to condemn what they deemed “disinformation” surrounding the incident. Fahrettin Altun, the head of Turkey’s directorate of communications, cautioned citizens against the spread of such information and urged the media to report responsibly. Interior Minister Yerlikaya also issued a warning to social media users, urging them not to share images of the attack, with an investigation initiated against those who did.
Despite the challenges posed by this tragic event, Yerlikaya expressed gratitude to the media for its coverage while acknowledging a broadcast ban imposed by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK). He implored individuals to delete any shared images, emphasizing the importance of respecting the collective grief of the nation.
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