Bomb Discovered Ahead of Erdogan Rally in Apparent Assassination Attempt

A small bomb was discovered attached to the underside of a car of a police officer securing a rally in support of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he was scheduled to attend, in an apparent assassination attempt.

The bomb was discovered before the rally that was held in the city of Siirt, Turkish media is reporting. It was defused by the Turkish police bomb disposal unit.

The apparent assassination attempt comes as Erdogan’s popularity continues to decrease, in part due to the country’s serious economic crisis, with the currency losing more 40% against the dollar this year.