Turkey Interior Minister suspects terror attack behind Ankara blastSeptember 20, 2011 - 17:56 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An explosion from a suspected car bomb ripped through a street in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday, September 20 near a neighborhood housing government buildings, killing three people and wounding 15, Interior Minister Naim Sahin said. The blast struck the central Kizilay neighborhood less than a kilometer from the prime minister's office, the headquarters of the chief of general staff and several ministries. Sahin said a parked car had exploded, setting off a chain of blasts as other vehicles blew up on a busy street. The vehicles, like many in Turkey, were powered by liquefied petroleum gas, making them more likely to explode, he said. "It is highly probable that it's a terror attack," he said. "The explosion took place in a parked car, and was followed by explosions of other cars because they had LPG." Sahin said the three people who were killed had been in nearby buildings. Of the 15 people who were wounded, five were in a critical condition. "Kumrular street is a busy place in terms of human and vehicle traffic. It's seen that the explosion mainly targeted people," he said, Reuters reported. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. |