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Blast hits city in Turkey’s Kurdish region Blast hits city in Turkey’s Kurdish region
(35 minutes later)
An explosion Thursday rocked an area near a bus station in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish region, killing at least four people in the latest violence to hit the country amid a string of suicide blasts and other attacks, reports said. An explosion Thursday rocked an area near a bus station in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish region, killing at least four police personnel in the latest violence to hit the country amid a string of suicide blasts and other attacks, reports said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility following the explosion in Diyarbakir, the main city in Turkey’s predominately Kurdish southeast region. But the area has been the scene of increasing clashes between Turkish forces and Kurdish separatists, who have stepped up a decades-long fight for greater autonomy. There was no immediate claim of responsibility following the explosion in Diyarbakir, the main city in Turkey’s predominately Kurdish southeastern region. But the area has been the scene of increasing clashes between Turkish forces and Kurdish separatists, who have stepped up a decades-long fight for greater autonomy.
[Pentagon, State Department order families of personnel to leave Turkey][Pentagon, State Department order families of personnel to leave Turkey]
At least four people were killed and 14 were injured in the blast, which appeared to target a small bus carrying police special forces, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Social media images showed emergency personnel rushing to the scene. At least four policemen were killed and 14 people were injured in the blast, which appeared to target a small bus carrying police special forces, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. The Reuters news agency, citing security sources, placed the death toll at six.
The blast came just two days after the United States announced it would withdraw nearly all family members of U.S. troops and diplomats from its facilities in Turkey, citing security concerns linked to the U.S.-led battles against the Islamic State in neighboring Syria.The blast came just two days after the United States announced it would withdraw nearly all family members of U.S. troops and diplomats from its facilities in Turkey, citing security concerns linked to the U.S.-led battles against the Islamic State in neighboring Syria.
Earlier this month, a car bomb blast killed 37 people in the capital, Ankara, in an attack claimed by a breakaway Kurdish rebel faction. Less than a week later, a Turkish man with suspected ties to the Islamic State set off a suicide blast in Istanbul, killing four foreign tourists, including two Israeli Americans. [Turkey strikes back against Kurdish group]
Earlier this month, a car bomb killed 37 people in the capital, Ankara, in an attack claimed by a breakaway Kurdish rebel faction. Less than a week later, a Turkish man with suspected ties to the Islamic State set off a suicide blast in Istanbul, killing four foreign tourists, including two Israeli Americans.
It was the sixth major suicide bombing in Turkey in eight months.It was the sixth major suicide bombing in Turkey in eight months.
A shadowy Kurdish group called the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons has asserted responsibility for two major suicide attacks in Ankara this year, including the one March 13.A shadowy Kurdish group called the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons has asserted responsibility for two major suicide attacks in Ankara this year, including the one March 13.
The faction is thought to be an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has waged an insurgency in Turkey since the 1980s. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the United States The faction is thought to be an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has waged an insurgency in Turkey since the 1980s. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the United States.
After the latest Ankara attack, Turkish warplanes waged airstrikes against Kurdish militant strongholds in northern Iraq, a staging ground for cross-border attacks.
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