Turkish PM calls for unity against attack on US embassy

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

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Turkey will stand united against terrorist attacks, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said after a blast shook the U.S. embassy in Turkey’s capital city Ankara earlier today, leaving at least two dead.

“All these [attacks] are against the peace and welfare of our country. We will stand tall; we will stand strong and overcome these [attacks]. We will never say enough, we will never say ‘this is the end,’ we will get stronger as we grow,” Erdoğan said in a speech given in Istanbul.

The struggle against terrorism should be fought all together all around the world, Erdoğan said.

In his speech, Erdoğan also said the suicide attacker was blown up in the attack and the number of deaths reported was at this time one or two, but the final death toll was not certain yet.

Turkish Foreign Minister responds to US embassy attack

All Turkish authorities are working to investigate a bombing which took place at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara earlier today, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said.

“It is quite saddening that such an attack happened in our country,” Davutoğlu said. “All our security officials have always been extremely sensitive about the protection of foreign representatives in Turkey and we will continue to be so,” he said.

“All our security units are working intensely to find those responsible for the attack,” Davutoğlu added. “We hope this matter will be solved soon.”

The U.S. State Department said it is working with Turkish officials to investigate a deadly explosion that occurred outside the U.S. Embassy in Ankara on Feb. 1, Reuters reported.

“We are working closely with the Turkish national police to make a full assessment of the damage and the casualties and to begin an investigation,” U.S. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

Nuland called the explosion at the embassy compound’s check point at 1:13 p.m. Ankara time “a terrorist blast.”

A suicide bomber killed a Turkish security guard, blowing the door off a side entrance and sending smoke and debris flying into the street.