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Turkish Foreign Ministry invites ambassadors of Russia, China, US, UK and France

At least 28 people were killed and 61 more injured in the powerful blast that hit the Turkish capital on Wednesday

© AP Photo/Hussein Malla

ANKARA, February 18. /TASS/. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has invited ambassadors from P5+1 group (five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) following Wednesday’s deadly terrorist attack in Ankara, diplomatic sources at the ministry told TASS.

"Ambassadors in Ankara from five permanent UN members (Russia, China, the UK, the US and France) and Germany were invited today for a meeting in our ministry," the sources said.

Turkey’s deputy foreign minister will inform them about the terrorist attack. "The meetings are already underway."

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There is no information if Russia’s Ambassador Andrey Karlov has arrived in the ministry. Russia’s embassy in Ankara has yet to comment on the report.

According to latest reports, at least 28 people were killed and 61 more injured in the powerful blast that hit the Turkish capital on Wednesday. Officials said a vehicle with explosives detonated as military buses were passing by. Some of the victims were civilians.

Another blast hit a military convoy on a road linking Diyarbakir to the district of Lice. At least seven people were killed in the explosion.

Troubling tendency

Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesperson Maria Zakharova has described the series of recent terrorist attacks in Turkey as "troubling tendencies."

"We certainly continue to convey our condolences to the victims," Zakharova told a briefing adding that "these are very troubling tendencies."

"Of course, competent authorities still have to investigate what happened," she noted.

Earlier today the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to Turkish people over the terrorist attack in Ankara. "We express sincere sympathy to the friends and families of those killed. We wish soonest recovery to those injured in this horrific act," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The foreign ministry noted that "this barbaric crime cannot be justified." "Its organizers and orchestrators should be held accountable," the ministry said. "What happened once again shows the necessity of uniting all countries in fighting international terrorism," the foreign ministry concluded.

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Foreign policy Turkey

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