Casualties as explosion hits Turkish province of Van

The explosion was near the ruling party headquarters and the governor’s office.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after a car bomb attack in the city center of Van. DHA via AP
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ISTANBUL // A car-bombing at a police checkpoint on Monday wounded 27 people near the ruling party headquarters and the governor’s office in the eastern Turkish province of Van, a police official said.

The state-run Anadolu news agency quoted Van police chief Suat Ekici as saying two of the wounded were in critical condition.

The explosion occurred on Monday around 10.50am local time on the first day of Eid Al Adha, an Islamic holiday.

Besir Atalay, a member of parliament from the ruling AKP party, told private news channel NTV via telephone that two police officers were among the wounded.

The private Dogan news agency said an explosives-laden vehicle was detonated about 200 metres from the governor’s office in a commercial district where the AKP municipal offices are located.

Turkey has suffered a string of attacks in recent months from both Kurdish militants linked with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK as well as from the Islamic State group, resulting in dozens of casualties.

* AP