Blasts at peace rally in the centre of the capital kill at least 30 people, injure dozens, interior ministry says.
An online video showed the moment one of the blasts at the peace rally in Ankara [Via @dokuz8haber] |
Two explosions have rocked a road junction in the centre of the
Turkish capital Ankara, killing at least 30 people and injuring dozens
of others, the interior ministry said.
The blasts took place several minutes apart, with the first going off at around 10:00am (0700 GMT), local media reported.
A video on social media showed the moment of one explosion: young
people were dancing and waving banners as a massive fireball erupts.
#Ankaraday?z Emek, Bar?? ve Demokrasi Mitingindeki patlama an? videosu #dokuz8 / @meliketmbk pic.twitter.com/it3dodESKz
— dokuz8 (@dokuz8haber) October 10, 2015
The explosions occurred near a train station where people were
gathering for a peace march to protest against the conflict between the
state and Kurdish fighters in southeast Turkey.
Video footage on social media showed several bodies lying on the ground, as survivors tried to give first aid to the wounded.
Emergency crews were at the scene, responding to the injuries, with
ambulances rushing off to several local hospitals. There were reports of
shortages of blood and calls for donations.
Demonstrators angered by the attack on their fellow activists shouted
"police murderers!" at the scene of the blasts but were then dispersed
as the security forces intervened.
The peace rally was called ahead of a snap election on November 1 and
after violence erupted in July between Turkish army and the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) armed group, ending a two-year ceasefire.
The unrest was kicked off by the 20 July bombing that hit a
pro-Kurdish group's meeting in the Turkish southern town of Suruc, which
the authorities have blamed on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
group.
Turkish government officials said Saturday's blasts in Turkey were a
"terrorist attack" and that they were investigating claims that a
suicide bomber was responsible.
Ankara'da patlama! Patlamalara çöp kutular? içine olan bombalar neden oldu. Çok say?da a??r yaral? var. pic.twitter.com/etEQ73Ubs6
— 'Hayal Tamircileri' (@HayalTamir) October 10, 2015
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was to hold a meeting with Deputy
Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, government officials and security chiefs
at 12pm (09:00 GMT) in response to the attack, Davutoglu's office said.
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