Turkey, Ankara: Today, at least 28 people were killed and 61 wounded in a car bomb targeting the Turkish military in the capital Ankara, the city’s governor said. The attack was aimed at a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.

Plumes of smoke were seen rising over an area and the powerful blast was heard all over the city, sending residents to their balconies in panic, an AFP correspondent said. Ambulances and fire engines were sent to the scene, which is near the Turkish military headquarters and the parliament. NTV television said the explosion happened near a residential block for top-level military staff. The spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Omer Celik, said he strongly condemned the attack, Turkish media reported.

Turkish police have thrown a security cordon around the area. There was no immediate indication about who carried out the attack, but the Islamic State group has been blamed for a string of bombings in the country since the middle of last year. The attack targeted a convoy of military service vehicles, Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said, quoted by the CNN-Turk and NTV channels.