DUSHANBE, May 23, Asia-Plus – Turkish officials say six people were killed and 100 were injured in an explosion in Ankara yesterday evening.
Press release issued by media says no foreign nationals were among dead. Earlier it was noted that a Pakistan national was among dead.
The blast that occurred during evening rush hour at the entrance to a shopping center in the district of Ulus. Much of the front of one building was ripped off by the blast at the Anafartalar shopping center. The area has been cordoned off and an investigation has begun.
Unconfirmed reports suggest an explosive device may have been left at a nearby bus stop.
The local NTV broadcaster quoted police sources as saying that the explosion was the result of a suicide bomb attack. This information has not been yet officially confirmed. Eight persons were arrested on suspicion of having been involved in that terrorist act.
According to Turkish police, a plastic explosive A-4, which is usually used by militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party, was used for the blast. However, this group has not yet claimed responsibility for the bomb blast.
In the meantime, BBC reports that Turkey has been hit by bombings in recent years. Some have been blamed on Kurds and others on Islamic militants.
In November 2003, more than 60 people were killed by a series of suicide bombings in Istanbul, which the authorities linked to al-Qaeda.
Kurdish rebels carried out a spate of attacks on tourist sites in Turkey last year, killing more than a dozen people.
