At least 86 people have lost their lives after two large explosions rocked a road junction in the center of Turkey’s capital, Ankara, local media say.
The blasts occurred on Saturday outside the main train station in Ankara, where a group of demonstrators had gathered for an anti-government peace march, Turkey’s Dogan news agency reported.
The Turkish Interior Ministry announced the number of fatalities, saying 126 people were also wounded in the incident.
Witnesses said several dead bodies were seen scattered on the floor at the site of the blasts.
Authorities in Ankara say the blasts were a terrorist attack. They are investigating the possibility that a bomber might have been behind the explosions, according to the Anadolu news agency.
“We are investigating the explosion and will share our findings with the public as soon as possible,” a Turkish official told AFP, without providing more details.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is set to hold an emergency meeting with security forces over the explosions.
The leftist groups in Turkey, including the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), had planned to stage a peace demonstration in the area that was rocked by the blasts.
To be updated…
