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Car bomb kills dozens in Ankara, Turkey

Turkey's health minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu said least 37 people were killed and 125 injured in a car bomb explosion in the Kızılay district of Ankara.

At least 37 people have died and over 100 were injured after a car bomb explosion in the Kızılay district of central Ankara on Sunday.

Health minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu on Monday said 30 people had died at the scene, and seven more had since died from their injuries. He said that 71 others were still being treated in hospital, 15 of whom were in intensive care.

Describing the attack as a suicide car bomb, Müezzinoğlu said at least two attackers were among the dead.

The explosion occurred near the Güvenpark and a major bus hub in Ankara’s central Kızılay district at 6:35 p.m, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The governor’s office has confirmed that the explosion was caused by a car bomb, The Guardian reports. Turkey’s interior minister said civilians were targeted at a bus stop.

Footage alleged to be from the incident posted on social media appears to show a car stopping beside a stationary bus before a massive explosion obscures the picture. Images posted on social media show a bus destroyed by the blast.

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has declared a broadcasting ban on images of the scene and victims.

Ankara’s Gölbaşı Court ordered a ban on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms to prevent images of victims being shared.

Turkish officials have claimed that members of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) are linked to the attack.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which Turkey says is directly linked to the PKK, has condemned the attack.

The explosion is the third to hit the Turkish capital since October 2015.

Sunday’s explosion occurred around one kilometer from the most recent car bomb explosion which killed 29 people on Feb. 27.

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Image: The aftermath of the explosion in Ankara. Pic: ‏@hasavrat/Twitter

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