Title: Ankara hit by a suicide attack: the terrorist threat persists
Introduction :
The Turkish capital, Ankara, was the scene of a suicide attack this Sunday. A bomb exploded at the entrance to the Interior Ministry, lightly injuring two police officers. The perpetrators of the attack, described as “terrorists” by the Interior Ministry, were neutralized. This incident recalls the persistence of the terrorist threat in the region, where attacks perpetrated by Kurdish separatist groups and the Islamic State have already caused numerous victims in the past.
The course of the attack:
According to information provided by the Ministry of the Interior, two terrorists driving a commercial vehicle presented themselves at the entrance to the General Directorate of Security of the Ministry of the Interior. One of the terrorists blew himself up, while the other was neutralized. Two police officers were slightly injured in the explosion.
The political context:
The attack occurs a few hours before the opening of the new parliamentary session which is to ratify Sweden’s entry into NATO. Turkey had so far vetoed this accession, arguing about Sweden’s position towards “terrorists” and Kurdish movements. President Erdogan, in his speech to Parliament, said that terrorists would never succeed in achieving their goals.
The persistent terrorist threat:
Ankara has been hit by numerous attacks in recent years, carried out by both Kurdish separatists PKK and Islamic State. In 2016, a car bomb attack left 38 dead and 125 injured, attributed to TAK, a radical group close to the PKK. In 2015, an attack in front of Ankara’s central station claimed the lives of 109 people and was attributed to the Islamic State. The last attack recorded in Turkey dates back to November 2022, in a shopping district of Istanbul, and left six dead and 81 injured.
Conclusion :
The suicide attack in Ankara recalls the persistence of the terrorist threat in Turkey. Despite the security measures put in place, terrorist groups still manage to commit acts of violence, endangering the lives of many citizens. It is essential to strengthen international cooperation to fight terrorism and guarantee the security of all.