Turkish warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on suspected Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq on Sunday, following a devastating suicide attack that struck a government building in the Turkish capital. Turkiye's defense ministry confirmed these actions, stating that around 20 targets affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were effectively "destroyed" in the operation, including underground hideouts, shelters, and weapon depots. The ministry further reported that a significant number of PKK operatives were "neutralized" in the airstrikes.
The suicide attack had occurred earlier on Sunday when a bomber detonated an explosive device near the entrance of the Interior Ministry in Ankara, resulting in injuries to two police officers. A second assailant was killed in a subsequent shootout with law enforcement. The PKK, with bases in northern Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack, as reported by a news agency closely associated with the rebel group. Turkiye's Interior Ministry also identified one of the attackers as a member of the outlawed organization, while efforts to identify the second assailant were ongoing.
The attack unfolded shortly before Turkiye's Parliament resumed its sessions after a three-month summer recess, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing the legislative body. The assailants arrived at the scene in a stolen light commercial vehicle, which they had taken from a veterinarian in Kayseri, central Turkiye. They killed the vehicle's owner and drove it approximately 300 kilometers to Ankara.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya commended the swift response of police officers, noting that one assailant detonated himself, while the other was shot in the head before having a chance to carry out a similar act.
Erdogan, in his parliamentary address, denounced the attack as "the last stand of terrorism" and reaffirmed his government's commitment to establishing a 30-kilometer safe zone along Turkiye's southern border with Syria, aimed at safeguarding against potential threats.
Turkiye has previously conducted numerous cross-border offensives against the PKK in northern Iraq and also intervened in northern Syria to counter groups such as the YPG, which Turkiye views as an extension of the PKK. The PKK has waged a prolonged insurgency against Turkiye since 1984, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.
Security camera footage captured the vehicle stopping in front of the Interior Ministry, with one individual exiting and rushing towards the entrance before detonating himself. Another person can be seen following suit. Television broadcasts also showed bomb disposal teams working near the vehicle, which was situated close to the Turkish Grand National Assembly and other government buildings.
Following the attack, Turkish authorities implemented a temporary blackout on images from the scene and increased security measures, including controlled explosions of suspicious packages. The two injured police officers were receiving medical treatment and were reported to be in stable condition.
Egypt, which had recently normalized ties with Turkiye following a decade of tensions, condemned the attack and expressed its solidarity with Turkiye. The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and other foreign missions likewise issued statements condemning the act of terrorism.
During his speech, President Erdogan did not provide any specific timeline for Turkiye's parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership. Stockholm had applied for NATO membership alongside Finland in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine the previous year. While Finland had already joined, Turkiye had previously blocked Sweden's membership due to concerns over its perceived efforts to combat groups like the PKK operating on its territory. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson took to social media to denounce the terrorist attack and express his country's commitment to cooperation with Turkiye in countering terrorism.