Car bomb strikes Turkey's Izmir
The Turkish city of Izmir has become the latest target in a spate of terror attacks.
Turkey continues to be the target of terrorist violence. Today its third-largest city, Izmir, was rocked by the crackle of gunfire and explosions in the late afternoon. Early reports suggest that the blast was caused by a car bomb that was detonated outside a courthouse in the port city’s Bayrakli area.
Two alleged assailants were killed in the ensuing gun battle with police. Another was said to have fled the scene. One policeman and a court employee were reported to have been killed and at least 10 others wounded in the attack.
The identities of the assailants remained undisclosed as of the time of writing. Footage of their bloodied corpses was circulated on social media.
Possible suspects include a left-wing terror faction called the People’s Liberation Party-Front, which frequently targets the police. The incident also bears the hallmarks of the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), the urban terror wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has carried out a string of car bomb attacks in Ankara and Istanbul. Izmir Governor Errol Ayyildiz has reportedly identified the latter as the prime suspects.
