Bomb attack in Van

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A bomb attack has been carried out by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in İpekyolu district of Turkey’s eastern Province of Van on the Iranian border. PKK members detonated a bomb-laden vehicle in front of a building in which police housings and a police station were located. Two civilians and a police officer were killed.

Van Governor İbrahim Taşyapan has made a statement noting “two civil citizens have lost their lives and a police officer passing by that spot has been been martyred. There are 73 injured, 20 of which are police officers”.

Minibus loaded with explosives

Governor Taşyapan, after examining the police housings and the İki Nisan Police Station on the scene of the attack, has made the following statement for journalists:

“At around 11.10 p.m, the explosion occurred nine seconds after the bomb-laden minibus was parked in front of the building in use as police housings and the İki Nİsan Police Station.

two civilians have lost their lives and a police officer passing by that spot has been been martyred. There are 73 injured, 20 of which are police officers.

“Many surrounding buildings have been damaged. The measures we had taken and having closed the street traffic, where the police station was located, seem to have prevented a greater destruction. The perpetrators of this action are known, the separatist terrorist organization is responsible for this treachery. This is an attack against our police officers and the police organization. Our operations regarding the attack continue.”

Suspect detained

Governor Taşyapan has added that M.O., the person claimed to have carried out the attack, was captured injured and was delivered to Provincial Security Directorate Anti-Terror Department.

State-run Anadolu Agency (AA) has reported that the parts of the exploded bomb-laden vehicle spread to a wide area and surrounding houses and shops were damaged.

According to Fırat News Agency (ANF), gun shots were heard in the region shortly after the attack.

A greater part of those injured in the attack were reportedly persons leaving a wedding hall 10 meters away from the scene of the explosion and the cameras of the hall have recorded the incident.

Teams are still examining the explosion scene and trying to determine the amount of explosives used in the attack (AS/DG)