Two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the ministry buildings in Ankara, Türkiye's interior minister said.

"One of the terrorists blew himself up and the other was neutralized," the ministry added on social media, saying two officers received "minor injuries."

Turkish media earlier reported that an explosion was heard near the parliament and ministerial buildings, and broadcasters showed footage of debris scattered on a street near the Interior Ministry.

READ MORE

60 million watched Zhang Zhilei fight

Türkiye raises interest rates to 30%

Why has the UK frozen interest rates?

The targeted district is home to several other ministries and the Turkish parliament, which was due to reopen today with an address from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Turkish media. 

Footage showed soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks and an armored vehicle gathered near the center of Türkiye's capital, where police had blocked several nearby roads.

"Two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

"Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized," he added.

Police also announced they would carry out controlled explosions for "suspicious package incidents" in other parts of Ankara. 

Authorities did not identify any specific militant group. The blast comes almost a year after six people were killed and 81 wounded in an explosion in a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul. Türkiye blamed Kurdish militants for that.

During a spate of violence in 2015 and 2016, Kurdish militants, Islamic State and other groups either claimed or were blamed for several attacks in major Turkish cities. In March 2016, 37 people were killed in Ankara when a bomb-laden car exploded at a crowded central transport hub.

Ankara's chief prosecutor launched an investigation into what it also called a terrorist attack.

Turkish media reported that authorities were carrying out checks of the parliament after the blast at the ministry. A source told Reuters news agency that the entrance was open but no cars were allowed through as part of the precautions.

Subscribe to Storyboard: A weekly newsletter bringing you the best of CGTN every Friday