Deadly rush-hour explosion in Turkey targets military personnel

ANKARA, TURKEY— A car bomb detonated in the Turkish capital Wednesday near vehicles carrying military personnel, killing at least 28 people and wounding at least 61 others, officials said.

The explosion occurred during evening rush hour in the heart of Ankara, in an area close to parliament and armed forces headquarters. Buses carrying military personnel were targeted while waiting at traffic lights at an intersection, the Turkish military said while condemning the “contemptible and dastardly” attack.

“We believe that those who lost their lives included our military brothers as well as civilians,” said Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus.

At least two military vehicles caught fire and dozens of ambulances were sent to the scene. Dark smoke could be seen billowing from a distance. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Kurtul- mus pledged that authorities would find those behind the bombing. He said the government had appointed seven prosecutors to investigate the attack, which he described as being “well-planned.”

Kurdish rebels, the Islamic State group and a leftist extremist group have carried out attacks in the country recently. In October, suicide bombings blamed on the Islamic State group targeted a peace rally outside the main train station in Ankara, killing 102 people in Turkey’s deadliest attack in years.

The deputy prime minister said the violence would not deter Turkey from its fight against terror groups.

“We will never give up on our determination in our fight against terrorism. Whoever is behind this (attack), whoever gave its support, we will find them and bring them to account,” Kurtulmus said.

Wednesday’s attack comes at a tense time when the Turkish government is facing an array of challenges. A fragile peace process with Kurdish rebels collapsed in the summer and renewed fighting has displaced tens of thousands of civilians.

Turkey has also been helping efforts led by the U.S. to combat the Islamic State group in Syria, and has faced several deadly bombings in the last year that were blamed on ISIS.

The Syrian war, meanwhile, is raging along Turkey’s southern border. Recent airstrikes by Russian and Syrian forces have prompted tens of thousands of Syrian refugees to flee to Turkey’s border.