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Turkish PM blames Ankara bombing on Islamic State | Turkish PM blames Ankara bombing on Islamic State |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Islamic State (IS) group is the prime suspect in the Ankara bombings that killed nearly 100 on Saturday, Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu has said. | The Islamic State (IS) group is the prime suspect in the Ankara bombings that killed nearly 100 on Saturday, Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu has said. |
No group has said it carried out the attack, but the government believes that two male suicide bombers caused the explosions, hitting a peace rally. | No group has said it carried out the attack, but the government believes that two male suicide bombers caused the explosions, hitting a peace rally. |
The official death toll is 97 but rally organisers have put the figure at 128. | The official death toll is 97 but rally organisers have put the figure at 128. |
Funerals for more of the victims were held on Monday, with some mourners expressing anger at the government. | Funerals for more of the victims were held on Monday, with some mourners expressing anger at the government. |
Saturday's twin explosions ripped through a crowd of activists outside the main railway station in the Turkish capital. | Saturday's twin explosions ripped through a crowd of activists outside the main railway station in the Turkish capital. |
They were due to take part in a rally calling for an end to the violence between Turkish government forces and the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). | They were due to take part in a rally calling for an end to the violence between Turkish government forces and the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). |
Analysis: Selin Girit, BBC News Ankara | |
The political campaigning has been interrupted because of the attacks. The pro-Kurdish HDP is considering cancelling all its rallies prior to the election out of security concerns. | |
The governing party has already cancelled its rallies until Friday but they will be holding "rallies against terror" afterwards. | |
Some already had doubts about how free and fair the upcoming elections would be, as there were attempts to move polls from violence-ridden areas in the south-east to more secure locations. But election officials had ruled out that option. | |
Saturday's attacks seem to have further polarised Turkey. Leaders cannot come together to make a united stand against violence. | |
Many now fear the country could end up in escalating violence that could lead to the elections being scrapped. | |
There is anger in Turkey that authorities were unable to prevent such a major attack - and some scepticism from opposition groups about the government's claims. | There is anger in Turkey that authorities were unable to prevent such a major attack - and some scepticism from opposition groups about the government's claims. |
Mr Davutoglu said authorities were close to identifying one of the suicide bombers, using DNA tests, and that this would help to pinpoint which group was responsible. | |
He had previously said that IS, the PKK and far-left groups were all capable of such an attack. | |
Ankara bombings: Read more | Ankara bombings: Read more |
"This is the worst scene I've ever seen" - Shock and anger in Ankara as mourning begins | "This is the worst scene I've ever seen" - Shock and anger in Ankara as mourning begins |
Blasts divide Turkish media - Not all commentators share the view that IS is to blame | Blasts divide Turkish media - Not all commentators share the view that IS is to blame |
The suspects - A look at the groups that might be responsible | The suspects - A look at the groups that might be responsible |
Who are the Kurds? - The long history of the Middle East's fourth-largest ethnic group | Who are the Kurds? - The long history of the Middle East's fourth-largest ethnic group |
Turkey v Islamic State v the Kurds - What's going on? | Turkey v Islamic State v the Kurds - What's going on? |
The situation in Turkey was tense even before the Ankara bombings. | |
The ceasefire with the PKK had broken down and there had been clashes between the militants and security forces, killing at least 150 since July. | |
Some local media have implicated the brother of a man who carried out an IS bombing in the southern border town of Suruc in July, which killed more than 30 people. | Some local media have implicated the brother of a man who carried out an IS bombing in the southern border town of Suruc in July, which killed more than 30 people. |
Turkey announced after the Suruc bombing that it would allow its southern Incerlik airbase to be used by the US-led coalition targeting IS in Syria. Turkey, a Nato member, shares a long land border with its unstable southern neighbour. | Turkey announced after the Suruc bombing that it would allow its southern Incerlik airbase to be used by the US-led coalition targeting IS in Syria. Turkey, a Nato member, shares a long land border with its unstable southern neighbour. |
The Ankara bombings are the deadliest in Turkey's history. | The Ankara bombings are the deadliest in Turkey's history. |
"These attacks will not turn Turkey into a Syria," Prime Minister Davutoglu said on Monday. | "These attacks will not turn Turkey into a Syria," Prime Minister Davutoglu said on Monday. |
Speaking on Turkish television, Mr Davutoglu said the bombings were an attempt to influence elections due on 1 November, after a vote in June left no party able to form a government. | Speaking on Turkish television, Mr Davutoglu said the bombings were an attempt to influence elections due on 1 November, after a vote in June left no party able to form a government. |
Many of the victims were activists of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, which believes its delegation at the march was specifically targeted. | |
The HDP gained parliamentary seats for the first time in June's vote, depriving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party of its majority. | The HDP gained parliamentary seats for the first time in June's vote, depriving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party of its majority. |
In a statement released on Monday, the HDP's leaders said the AK Party was using "escalation of violence" as a strategy to push the leftist, pro-Kurdish party back under Turkey's high electoral threshold for entering parliament. | In a statement released on Monday, the HDP's leaders said the AK Party was using "escalation of violence" as a strategy to push the leftist, pro-Kurdish party back under Turkey's high electoral threshold for entering parliament. |
They link the Ankara bombings to the Suruc attack and the fatal bombing of an HDP electoral rally in June, labelling them a "chain of massacres", and call on the international community to take "a firmer stance" with Turkey's government. | They link the Ankara bombings to the Suruc attack and the fatal bombing of an HDP electoral rally in June, labelling them a "chain of massacres", and call on the international community to take "a firmer stance" with Turkey's government. |
The youngest victim, nine-year-old Muhammed Veysel Atilgan, was buried on Sunday in his hometown of Batman alongside his father, Ibrahim Atilgan who also died in the attack. | The youngest victim, nine-year-old Muhammed Veysel Atilgan, was buried on Sunday in his hometown of Batman alongside his father, Ibrahim Atilgan who also died in the attack. |
On Monday thousands of people attended funerals in Istanbul and Ankara, with many mourners venting their anger at the government. | On Monday thousands of people attended funerals in Istanbul and Ankara, with many mourners venting their anger at the government. |
"The killer state will be held to account!'' some demonstrators in Ankara chanted. | "The killer state will be held to account!'' some demonstrators in Ankara chanted. |
One of the victims of Saturday's attacks has been identified as 70-year-old Meryem Bulut, a member of the Saturday Mothers group, who have protested about their missing sons since the 1990s. | One of the victims of Saturday's attacks has been identified as 70-year-old Meryem Bulut, a member of the Saturday Mothers group, who have protested about their missing sons since the 1990s. |
The BBC's Mark Lowen in Ankara says critics of the Turkish government believe it is using IS as a scapegoat - and that murky elements of a so-called "deep state" are to blame for the bombings. | The BBC's Mark Lowen in Ankara says critics of the Turkish government believe it is using IS as a scapegoat - and that murky elements of a so-called "deep state" are to blame for the bombings. |
The victims | The victims |
Turkey is mourning the deaths of at least 97 people. These are just a few of those who lost their lives, clockwise from top left: | Turkey is mourning the deaths of at least 97 people. These are just a few of those who lost their lives, clockwise from top left: |
Who were the victims? | Who were the victims? |
Are you in the region? Have you been affected by the unrest in Ankara? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk to share your experiences. | Are you in the region? Have you been affected by the unrest in Ankara? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk to share your experiences. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or, you can comment here: | Or, you can comment here: |