The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, has acknowledged its involvement in a suicide bombing in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Sunday, October 1. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted that the objectives of “terrorists” would never be realized, following an explosion near the parliament in Ankara that resulted in injuries to two police officers.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Sunday that injured two people.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that “terrorists” will never achieve their aims, hours after a blast near the parliament in Ankara injured two police officers.
The powerful explosion outside the interior ministry, which was followed by large flames, was heard for several kilometers from the site of the attack.
The targeted district is home to several other ministries and the Turkish parliament, which reopened as planned in the afternoon with an address from President Erdogan.
The interior ministry said two attackers arrived in a commercial vehicle around 9:30 am (0630 GMT) in front of “the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of the Interior, and carried out a bomb attack.”
The Ankara police headquarters said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was carrying out “controlled explosions” of “suspicious packages” to prevent other explosions.
The Ankara prosecutor’s office said it was opening an investigation and banned access to the area. Local media was asked to stop broadcasting images from the scene of the attack.
Erdogan later opened the parliamentary session by slamming his country’s long wait for accession to the EU, stating that Turkey “no longer expects anything from the European Union, which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years”.
This session of Turkey’s parliament must also validate Sweden’s entry into the NATO alliance.
Hungary and Turkey in July lifted their vetoes against Sweden’s entry into the Atlantic alliance, but have been slow to ratify its membership.
Erdogan indicated in July that ratification by the Turkish parliament would not take place before October, but it is expected to be approved during this parliamentary year.
For months, Erdogan has been putting pressure on Sweden to take action against Koran desecration that have strained relations between the two countries.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
