Türkiye launches probe into bomb attack outside interior ministry

ANKARA -- Turkish authorities launched a probe into a bombing attack in front of the interior ministry's building in the capital Ankara on Sunday, said Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's office.

Two police officers were slightly injured and one attacker died after he set off the suicide bomb, while the other bomber was shot dead by the police, said Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

The "two terrorists" came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of the ministry at around 0930 local time (0630 GMT) and carried out the attack, Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

A bomb found on the body of the "neutralized terrorist" was set off in a controlled explosion, and another controlled explosion followed the first one, the local NTV broadcaster reported.

No group has claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack yet. The TV broadcasters showed the police cordoning off the area where bomb squad teams were searching the scene.

Security measures were increased in Ankara after the attack, which took place close to the Turkish parliament and hours before it was set to reconvene after the months-long summer recess, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scheduled to deliver a speech at the opening ceremony for the new legislative year.

In his speech to the new legislative year of the parliament, Erdogan thanked the police for the timely intervention. Describing the bombing attack as a "final flutter of terrorism," he stressed that terrorists will never succeed in their attempts to destroy peace and security.