AK Party mayor narrowly misses bomb explosion

A mayor from the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AK Party, narrowly escaped an assasination attempt late Sunday as a bomb-laden car exploded when his car entered the center in Sanliurfa, the Southeast.

The bomb was planted on mayor Menderes Atilla''s route from the down town, where he had attanded presidental rally of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to Ceylanpinar, the district he runs.

The explosion destroyed the mayor's car and wounded three people including two officers. The casulties have been identified as Atilla''s two special guards and a police officer.

The injured, immediately taken to a hospital in Ceylanpinar, for treatment. They are in good condition, said a medic.

One of the injured has remained in Ceylanpinar while two others have been transferred to another hospital in Sanliurfa for further treatment, according medical sources.

The street, where the explosion happened, was closed to the traffic for security reason.

Police launched an investigation in Ceylanpinar to find the perpetrators involved in a suicide bid.