Rocket attacks target police, AK Party HQs in Istanbul

By Muhammed Gencebay Gur, Halil Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) – Rocket attacks Friday targeted police headquarters in Istanbul and the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's local headquarters.

Istanbul Gov. Vasip Sahin said on Twitter that no one was injured in the police station attack and an investigation had been launched.

No injuries were reported on the AK Party attack, according to a Twitter post by the group’s provincial head, Selim Temurci.

He later told reporters the rocket pierced the wall of the building but did not explode, and pointed to the involvement of the ultra-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C).

He said two assailants were involved in the attack.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said terror groups carried out the attack on police headquarters.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was briefed about incidents by Temurci and the governor.

Turkey's EU Minister posted a condemnation of the attacks on social media.

"While terror targets our people and security services, it also targets politics and tries to influence decision making mechanisms," Omer Celik said on Twitter. "Terror is ideologically nourished by placing itself in between the society&politics. Thus, it tries to seize society's right to administer."

He said strong bonds between society and politics are "the biggest barriers terror can't overcome.

"Politics relying on society is our greatest foundation," he said. "Turkey, w/ its vast experience, sees through the ideological & political agenda behind terror. Terror cannot have an influence on Turkey."