Car Bomb in Turkey’s Capital Kills at Least 34, Wounds 125

A car bombing in Turkey’s capital has killed at least 27 people and wounded around 75 others on Sunday, officials said.

ANKARA, Turkey—A car bombing in Turkey’s capital has killed at least 34 people and wounded around 125 others on Sunday, officials said.

The blast occurred on the city’s main boulevard, Ataturk Bulvari, close to Ankara’s main square, Kizilay. It happened adjacent to bus stops near a park.

Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said 19 of the wounded were in serious condition. He said that 30 of the fatalities died at the scene, while the other four perished at hospitals. Two of the dead were believed to be the assailants, he added.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala said the attack, which came as Turkey prepared to launch large-scale military operations against Kurdish militants in two towns, wouldn’t deter the country from its fight against terrorism. He confirmed the blast as a car bomb that targeted civilians at bus stops on Ataturk Bulvari close to Kizilay square.

Ala said authorities had obtained evidence pointing to the group behind the attack, but said an announcement would be made after the investigation is completed, most probably on Monday.

The private NTV news channel said a car, believed to be laden with explosives, detonated close to a bus. Several vehicles then caught fire, it said. The area is close to government offices, including ministries.

This picture taken on March 13, 2016, shows a burning car after a blast in Ankara. An explosion ripped through a busy square in central Ankara on March 13, killing 27 people and wounding 75 more, with local media reports describing it as an attack. Ambulances rushed to the scene of the explosion on Kizilay square, a key shopping and transport hub close to the city's embassy area. Mehmet Ozer/AFP/Getty Images