UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a telephone call with Turkish counterpart Recep Erdoğan to express solidarity with Türkiye and its people following the attack….reports Asian Lite News
The UAE has strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place in the Turkish capital Ankara, which resulted in injuries to a number of security personnel.
This comes after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in front of the Interior Ministry building in Ankara, leaving two police officers injured and sending a wave of fear among the people.
The bombing took place just hours before the Turkish Parliament was due to reopen after its three-month summer recess with an address by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device, and a second assailant was killed in a shootout with police.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that the UAE expresses its strong condemnation of these criminal acts, and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aiming at undermining security and stability in contravention of human values and principles.
The Ministry expressed the UAE’s solidarity with the government of the Republic of Türkiye and people, and its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured.
In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom strongly condemned the attack and would continue to support efforts to eradicate terrorism and extremism and cut off funding sources.
The ministry added that it wished for the speedy recovery of two police officers injured in the blast.
Turkey Launches Airstrikes
Turkish forces carried out airstrikes in northern Iraq and destroyed 20 targets of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the country’s Defence Ministry has said.
The Turkish airstrikes targeted the PKK bases in Gara, Hakurk, Metina and Qandil, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement issued by the ministry on Sunday evening.
The military campaign came after two attackers attempted a bomb attack in front of the Turkish Interior Ministry’s building in the capital Ankara on Sunday morning, which slightly injured two police officers.
One attacker died after he set off the suicide bomb, while the other was shot dead by the police.
The Interior Ministry said that one of the attackers was identified as a member of the PKK and an investigation is underway to determine the identity of the other.
The Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes, and artillery bombardments in northern Iraq against the PKK, especially in the Qandil Mountains, the main base of the group.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
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MBZ Dials Erdogan
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a telephone call with Turkish counterpart Recep Erdoğan to express solidarity with Türkiye and its people following the attack.
Sheikh Mohamed reiterated the UAE’s condemnation of all forms of violence and terrorism, and stressed the need for international cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms, which aims to destabilize nations and threaten the security of their peoples. His Highness also wished Türkiye and its people continued security, stability, and peace.
For his part, the Turkish President Erdoğan thanked His Highness for his sincere sentiments expressed towards Türkiye and its people. He also affirmed the strength of the ties between the two nations and their peoples, wishing the UAE continued security and stability.
The United States also condemned the suicide blast and expressed solidarity with their NATO ally and the Turkish people.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington “rejects terrorism in all its forms”.
“The United States condemns today’s attack at the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara. We wish those injured a speedy recovery. We reject terrorism in all its forms and stand firmly by our NATO Ally Türkiye and the Turkish people,” Blinken stated on X (formerly Twitter).