Turkey: Small explosion near NATO facility in Izmir June 22

Event

A small explosion at a graveyard near a NATO-owned military facility in İzmir on Thursday, June 22, damaged the perimeter walls and shattered nearby windows, but caused no injuries. The explosion occurred around 07:50 (local time) and was caused by a stun grenade left near the wall, according to officials. Police have cordoned off the area and are investigating the incident. The perpetrators and potential motives for the attack remain unknown.

Context

Turkey has suffered repeated bombings and other attacks in recent months, with most attributed to the Islamic State (IS) and the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), groups highly active in the country.

Advice

Individuals in İzmir are advised to avoid the blast area.

Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Turkey should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and maintain a high degree of vigilance, especially when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, festivals, etc.). Some Western governments advise against travel to areas along the Syrian and Iraqi borders.