Ankara, October 14

The Turkish interior ministry said it had removed the Ankara’s police, intelligence and security chiefs from their posts in an effort to help the investigation into Saturday’s bombings that killed 97 people.

The twin suicide bombings targeting a rally of pro-Kurdish activists and civic groups sparked anger from government opponents who condemn it for failing to prevent the worst attack on Turkish soil. Others accuse the government of complicity.

“In order to run a healthy investigation into the abominable terrorist attack... and in line with the requests from chief civil and police inspectors, Ankara’s provincial police chief, intelligence department chief and security department chiefs have been removed from duty,” a statement on the ministry’s website said. The statement did not say if the officials would return to their posts after the investigation.

The announcement came hours after President Tayyip Erdogan admitted that there had been an intelligence failure which he said would be probed in investigations.

On Tuesday, protesters in trade union-organised rallies were not permitted by the Istanbul governorship to march to Beyazit Square on security concerns. At Sirkeci train station the protesters held a sit-in at which lawmakers made speeches.