A car bomb is believed to have killed 18 and injured 45 in the Turkish capital of Ankara Wednesday, with speculation the blast may have targeted a nearby military facility.
Turkish media first reported a large explosion around 6:50 p.m. local time, with a local governor first confirming casualties about an hour later. The Turkish government reportedly imposed a broadcast ban on journalists shortly after the attack. Turkey’s ruling AK party has claimed the attack was an act of terrorism.
WATCH:
video: panic in Ankara after explosion near military barrack in Kizilay area pic.twitter.com/BY44o3WJqc Turkey, 5 confirmed dea d
— Khalid Khan™ (@khalidkhan787) February 17, 2016
The military facility was approximately 300 meters away from the site of the explosion, with some reports claiming a convoy of military vehicles carrying military personnel was nearby as it occurred.
WATCH:
another video + update: 5 confirmed dead, 10 injured in suspected car bombing near military barracks, Ankara Turkey pic.twitter.com/dmcZMieYW9
— Khalid Khan™ (@khalidkhan787) February 17, 2016
The explosion could be seen and heard across the city while smoke was seen billowing over the city.
More photos of the smoke from the #Ankara blast
Source https://t.co/SglJRXjDoJhttps://t.co/KREUbKO4hx pic.twitter.com/KHvQ0saeBe— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) February 17, 2016
As of the writing of this article, no terrorist group has taken responsibility for the alleged attack.
Turkish President Recep Tayyipt Erdogan called a national state of emergency after the attack while security officials continue to investigate the explosion. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has cancelled a scheduled trip to Brussels in response.
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