ANKARA, October 1./TASS/. Two terrorists committed a terrorist attack near the Interior Ministry building in Ankara; one of the attackers blew himself up, Interior Ministry Ali Yerlikaya reported.

"Around 9:30 a.m. (same time in Moscow - TASS), two terrorists who arrived on a light commercial vehicle to the gates of the Interior Ministry's General Security Directorate detonated an explosive device. One of the terrorists blew himself up, the other was neutralized. Two of our policemen were lightly wounded during the exchange of fire," Yerlikaya wrote on his page on the X social media platform (formerly Twitter).

According to the TRT TV channel, the terrorists drove up to the entrance to the ministry building and one of them triggered the explosive device on him. The security guards of the ministry opened fire on the attackers. The second terrorist was neutralized during a short exchange of fire that followed.

At present, all roads within at least 500 meters from the Interior Ministry building are blocked. Bomb technicians and police officers are working in the area. Police armored vehicles with machine gun turrets, whose barrels, however, are covered, have been pulled in. Police squads with plastic shields have also been deployed to the area. There is no disorder or danger of the cordon being breached. The Ankara Prosecutor General's Office has launched an investigation into the explosion.

A haber TV channel shows footage of an object that looks like a grenade launcher lying in the area of the blast. According to reports, the terrorist opened fire on police officers with a long-barreled gun.

The terrorist attack occurred on the day when the Turkish parliament, whose building is located just several hundred away, resumed its work. At 2:00 p.m. Moscow Time President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to speak there.