Powerful blasts rock Ankara peace rally, at least 30 killed, 126 injured

At least 30 people have been killed and 126 injured in two blasts at the venue for a peace rally in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Interior Ministry said.

According to the Turkish government, the explosions are suspected to be a terror attack by suicide bombers.

The explosion took place near Ankara Central railway station, the busiest in Turkey, which serves 181 trains daily.

Several ambulances have been reportedly seen at the scene.

 According to Lami Ozgen, head of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions, or KESK, the bombs “exploded in very short intervals”.

The explosions occurred at a rally dubbed “Labor, Peace, Democracy” that kicked off at 10:00 local time (0700 GMT). Turkey’s largest trade unions were planning to get together for a demonstration to protest the Turkish government’s renewed military campaign against Kurdish rebels.

“We are investigating the explosion and will share our findings with the public as soon as possible,” a Turkish official said.

Shortly after the attack, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) announced it was planning  to halt its activity in Turkey, a news website close to the PKK reported, as cited by Reuters.

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) claimed that their members were especially targeted in the deadly explosions.

“Just after the beginning of the march, at about 10:04 a.m., two bomb attacks occurred among the HDP cortege. For this reason, it is understood that the main target of the attacks was the HDP,” the party said.”Many of the injured people are heavily injured, so there is a fear that the number of dead people may increase.”

No one has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack, but it comes amid renewed fighting between Turkish security forces and Kurdish rebel forces.

RT

Maher Taki