Brussels [Belgium], October 1 : Amid global condemnation of the suicide blast near the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, the chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday expressed solidarity with the country in the wake of the incident that left two policemen injured and sent a wave of fear among the people.
Taking to his official handle on social media platform X, the NATO chief Stoltenberg denounced the suicide attack in Ankara.
“I strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack on the Ministry of Interior in #Ankara, and wish a fast and full recovery for the police officers injured in the line of duty," Stoltenberg posted on X, wishing the injured police officers a "quick and complete" recovery.
"NATO stands in solidarity with #Türkiye in the fight against terrorism,” he added.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Turkey also condemned the deadly blast and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
"We strongly condemn the terrorist attack this morning against Türkiye, our NATO Ally. We offer our condolences to those injured and wish them a speedy recovery. We stand in solidarity with Türkiye against terrorism," the US Embassy said in a post on X.
Security has been increased around key government buildings, including the parliament and the Interior Ministry, following the attack, as parliamentarians were returning after a summer break. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered an opening speech at the parliament hours after the blast and said that the “terrorists” will never achieve their aims in Turkey in his address at the Turkish parliament.
“Today’s terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism,” Erdogan said, adding, “Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens’ security will never succeed,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.
Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned the Ankara incident and reiterated its support for any initiatives aimed at eradicating "terrorism" and cutting off its funding sources.
The caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, stated that Pakistan is "completely united with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism".
"Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack in Ankara today. We stand in complete solidarity with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism," he posted on X.
Earlier on Sunday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the country. In a statement on the social media platform X, Borrell said, "We express solidarity with Turkiye and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."
Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom also condemned the suicide attack while affirming his country's commitment to its long-term partnership with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. He also wished a quick recovery to the injured.
Notably, Turkey and Sweden have had strained relations in the past, with the former accusing the latter of harbouring groups it considers terrorists. The claims have led to tensions, hindering Sweden's entry into NATO.
Egypt, too, strongly condemned the attack on Turkey's interior ministry and extended its solidarity to the country, its government, and its people. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the "terrorist attack", stressing its rejection of all forms of terrorism and violence that destabilise societies.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama joined in, expressing strong condemnation and calling on Europe to better understand and support Turkey in its fight against terrorism.
Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti also expressed his sadness over the terror attack in Ankara while voicing relief that the damage to Turkish institutions was averted. Ankara has been the site of several attacks in recent years, particularly in 2015 and 2016, with many attributed to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or ISIS. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies.
Meanwhile, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that a judicial investigation has been initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the attack, affirming that the country's fight against terror will continue undaunted despite such incidents.
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