Turkey: Bombing At US Embassy By 'Far-Left'

A suicide bomber has carried out an attack at an entrance to the US embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara, killing himself and a guard.

The bomber's device went off as he was going through an X-ray machine at a security gatehouse, Sky sources said.

Turkish interior minister Muammer Guler said the attacker was a "militant" connected to a banned far-left group in the country.

He reportedly was a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and spent time in prison on terrorism-related charges.

He was believed to be aged about 30 and used plastic explosives in the embassy atrocity.

The DHKP-C is a Marxist-Leninist group that has claimed responsibility for suicide bombings against police stations in recent years. There have been no claims of responsibility for Friday's attack.

Damage can be seen at a side entrance of the embassy

A Turkish guard was killed in the blast and another Turkish citizen, believed to be a journalist, was wounded.

The US State Department said the explosion occurred on the perimeter of the embassy.

"We can confirm a terrorist blast at a checkpoint on the perimeter of our embassy compound in Ankara, Turkey, at 1.13pm local time, or 6:13 am ET," spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"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," she added.

The US consulate in Turkey has advised Americans against visiting its missions until further notice.

Medics treat a woman who was injured in the blast

Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the bombing, and UK businesses in Turkey have been urged to be vigilant.

The British consulate in Istanbul said in a statement: "There has been a suspected terrorist attack on the US embassy in Ankara.

"Due to the nature of this incident we advise you to be extra vigilant and to take appropriate security measures to safeguard your staff and assets."

TV footage showed a door blown out and masonry from the wall around it scattered, although there did not appear to be any more significant structural damage.

An Associated Press journalist reported seeing a body in the street in front of the entrance.

And a Reuters witness reported seeing one wounded person being lifted into an ambulance.

Police cordoned off the area following the explosion, which sent smoke and debris flying into the street.

Another journalist Ilnur Cevik told Sky News: "There was a huge bang which really shook everywhere."

Far-left groups in Turkey oppose what they see as US influence over Turkish foreign policy.

Turkey is a key US ally in the Middle East with common interests ranging from energy security to counter-terrorism.

And Ankara has been one of the leading supporters of foreign intervention to end the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

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