Turkish President, PM Vow to Step up Anti-Terror Fight after Ankara Attack

Southeast Europe | February 18, 2016, Thursday // 08:00|  views

Firefighters try to extinguish the flames at the scene of a car bomb detonation close to buildings of the Turkish military, in Ankara, capital of Turkey, 17 February 2016. Photo: EPA

Turkish President Recep Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu vowed to step up the fight against terrorism after the latest terrorist attack which occurred in central Ankara on Wednesday evening.

At least 28 people were killed and 61 other injured as an explosion, most probably caused by a car bomb, targeted military-owned vehicles waiting at a traffic light.

According to preliminary information, three military and one private vehicles were hit in the attack and among the casualties are both servicemen and civilians.

The attack occurred close to the headquarters of the army, the building of parliament and the prime minister's office.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Turkish capital was rocked by another attack in October last year when two suicide bombers targeted a demonstration of peace activists near the main train station, killing 101 people.

Erdogan expressed the determination of Turkey to continue the fight against terrorism and those supporting terrorist attacks.

He was firm that “Turkey will not abstain from using its right to self-defence every time, everywhere and in every situation”, Anadolu Agency quotes him as saying.

After the attack, Erdogan convened a security meeting at the presidential complex in the Turkish capital, which was attended by Davutoglu, Interior Minister Efkan Ala, the chief of staff and the intelligence chief.

According to presidential sources, the main topics of discussion at the meeting were the measures taken against terrorist organisations, including Islamic State (IS) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the latest attack and developments in Syria.

Davutoglu said that Turkey will never take a step back from its “just fight” against all terrorist organisations and the country stands united in the face of terror and violence.

The Turkish prime minister cancelled his planned visit to Brussels where he was scheduled to attend a EU-Turkey meeting on the migrant crisis.

The leaders of the three opposition parties in Turkish parliament also condemned the attacks.

Also on Wednesday, an explosion targeted a Turkish cultural association building in a suburb south of Stockholm. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.

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Tags: turkey, Ankara, attack, explosion, Recep Erdogan, Ahmet Davutoglu, terrorism, PKK, IS, Syria

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