A huge explosion hit Diyarbakir’s Baglar district on Friday morning, killing at least eight people and injuring at least 100, announced Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim a few hours after the attack took place.
Yildirim said two police officers and five civilians were killed in the attack, while a suspected PKK militant was also killed.
According to the Diyarbakir Governor’s Office, the PKK claimed responsibility for the attack.
The blast damaged nearby cars and premises. Fire engines and ambulances rushed to the area following the blast. An investigation is underway.
“Some people, including a police officer and civilians were martyred,” stated Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag.
According to Anadolu Agency the blast occurred near the Baglar police headquarters, a building used by riot police officers.
The explosion took place at 8am (local time) with reports saying that it came from a bomb-laden vehicle.
Turkish Minute reported that police exchanged gunfire with the assailants after the blast.
“The area of the attack is heavily populated and civilians, particularly students, would have been in the vicinity,” read a statement from the Diyarbakir Governorate.
The explosion came hours after Turkey’s Interior Ministry detained 11 pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers, including HDP co-chairs Figen Yuksekdag and Selahattin Demirtas.
Read more here.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
