Ankara explosions leave more than 80 dead 

The attack is the deadliest of its kind in modern Turkish history

BBC – Two explosions at a peace rally in the Turkish capital Ankara have killed at least 86 people and injured 186, according to officials.

TV footage showed scenes of panic and people lying on the ground covered in blood, amid protest banners.

The blasts took place near the city’s central train station as people gathered for a march organised by leftist groups.

The attack is the deadliest of its kind in modern Turkish history.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced three days of national mourning, and said there was evidence that two suicide bombers had carried out the attacks.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attack, which comes weeks before an election, was an act of terrorism and was “loathsome”.

The rally was demanding an end to the violence between the Kurdish separatist PKK militants and the Turkish government, and had been due to start at 12:00 local time.

The pro-Kurdish HDP party was among those attending, and it said in a statementthat it believes its members were the main target of the bombings.

The leader of the HDP has blamed the state for the attack, which he called “a huge massacre”, and cancelled all election rallies.

The party has previously blamed the government for colluding in attacks on Kurdish activists, which the government denies.