Foreign officials condemn İzmir car bomb attack

ANKARA

REUTERS photo

Leaders from around the world have condemned a car bomb attack that occurred on Jan. 5 in the Aegean province of İzmir that killed two people and wounded five others.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the terror attack outside a courthouse in a written statement.

“Germany is on Turkey’s side in the fight against terrorism, no matter if it has an Islamist, ethnic or ideological motive,” he said.    
   
Steinmeier also praised Turkish security forces’ success in preventing a worse scenario. 

“We mourn for the victims with their families and relatives and are worried about the wounded ones,” he added.        

British Ambassador to Turkey Richard Moore also condemned the attack on Twitter, saying, “I pay tribute to heroism of Turkish police in preventing more deaths and injuries.”

Australian Ambassador to Turkey James Larsen posted: “I condemn today’s act of terror in Izmir.

Condolences to victims and their families. Australia stands with Turkey at this difficult time.”
       
The U.S. Embassy in Ankara also published a Twitter message condemning the attack, while European Union Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn described the attack as “heinous.”

“#EU stands by #Turkey and its people in these difficult times. Fight against terrorism is common challenge,” Hahn tweeted.

A police officer and an officer of the court were killed in the car bomb attack.

İzmir Gov. Erol Ayyıldız said initial findings suggested that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was responsible for the attack.

He stated an armed clash took place between the militants and the security forces when police officers sought to stop a suspicious vehicle at the checkpoint in front of the courthouse.    
   
The governor said two militants were killed and a third one is at large, adding that one more suspicious car believed to belong to the militants has been defused by the police.        

He said police seized two Kalashnikovs and eight hand grenades.        

Two suspects were also detained in İzmir late on Jan. 5 in connection with the attack.