explosion at ankara turkey
An explosion hit the center of Ankara on Sunday evening, with a number of people reportedly killed and wounded.

The blast occurred near Guven Park in the city center.


What appears to be CCTV cam footage was posted on YouTube that allegedly shows the moment of the explosion. A couple of buses can be seen in the video, before a passing by car slows down near them and a huge blast is seen.


The blast appears to have been triggered by a car exploding near a bus stop, Turkish broadcaster TRT said. Guven Park adjoins a major transportation hub.

"It's a car bomb, [it happened] in the heart of Ankara... and today is Sunday, many people may be outside," Turkish journalist Onur Burcak Belli told RT by phone, adding that the scene of the blast is "very close to a shopping mall" and that "many cars are on fire and apparently a public bus is also on fire."


Ambulances could be seen at the scene, while the security official told Reuters that there are casualties, both killed and injured.

At least five people were killed, Turkey's Dogan news agency reported.

Turkish broadcaster NTV reported "many dead."

Images allegedly showing the aftermath of the explosion emerged on social media. A huge fire could be seen in some of them.


A large cloud of smoke rising into the dark could also be seen from the distance.

Numerous loud sirens could be heard in a Periscope transmission from the scene, in which people can be seen running by, with some screaming.