Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated that Turkey will continue its fight against terrorism, saying the terrorists who attempt to disrupt peace and security in the country will never succeed.

Erdogan made the remarks in his opening speech to the new legislative year of the Parliament on Sunday, after an explosion near Turkey’s parliament in Ankara left two police officers injured earlier in the day.

We have largely solved the separatist terrorism issue, which has made our country pay heavy human and economic costs for 40 years, within our borders, he said while stressing the need for solidarity in the fight against terrorism.

We will not allow the terrorist group to direct politics or prevent the sacred march of our country, he added.

Erdogan further reiterated that Turkey will continue to fight terrorism with determination until the last terrorist at home or abroad is eliminated.

He also hailed the timely intervention of the police during Sunday’s attack which he said was a final flutters of terrorism, noting that the burden of instilling morale in terror groups with political calculations will be very heavy.

On Sunday, Turkish media reported that a loud explosion was heard near the parliament and ministerial buildings, and broadcasters showed footage of debris scattered on a street near the interior ministry. Some reports said the explosion was followed by gunfire.

One of the terrorists died in the explosion and the other was neutralized by authorities there. Two police officers were slightly injured in the fire caused by the blast.

The injured police officers are still being treated, and their injuries are not life-threatening, according to the Turkish interior minister.

Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into the terrorist attack.

The outlawed Kurdistan’s Workers; Party (PKK) has accepted responsibility for the terrorist attack in Ankara, according to a news website close to the group.

The bombing, the first to hit Ankara in a number of years, comes almost a year after six people were killed and 81 wounded in an explosion in a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul on Nov 13, 2022.