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| Deadly explosion hits Turkish town near Syrian border | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 27 people have been killed and nearly 100 taken to hospital after an explosion outside a cultural centre in the Turkish town of Suruç, near the border with Syria. | |
| The death toll came from the interior ministry, which described the blast as a terrorist attack. | |
| Television footage showed bodies lying beneath trees outside the building in the mostly Kurdish town in south-eastern Turkey, which lies about six miles (10km) from the Syrian border. | Television footage showed bodies lying beneath trees outside the building in the mostly Kurdish town in south-eastern Turkey, which lies about six miles (10km) from the Syrian border. |
| “I saw more than 20 bodies. I think the number of wounded is more than 50. They are still being put into ambulances,” one witness said by telephone, giving his name as Mehmet. “It was a huge explosion, we all shook.” | “I saw more than 20 bodies. I think the number of wounded is more than 50. They are still being put into ambulances,” one witness said by telephone, giving his name as Mehmet. “It was a huge explosion, we all shook.” |
| The interior ministry said: “We call on everyone to stand together and remain calm in the face of this terrorist attack which targets the unity of our country.” | |
| Pervin Buldan, a senior lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish HDP opposition party, said local officials were investigating the possibility that it was a suicide bombing. | Pervin Buldan, a senior lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish HDP opposition party, said local officials were investigating the possibility that it was a suicide bombing. |
| She said the blast happened as Turkish and Kurdish youths gathered at the cultural centre ahead of a planned trip to the town of Kobani in Syria, which was secured by Syrian Kurdish fighters last month after an assault by Islamic State militants. | She said the blast happened as Turkish and Kurdish youths gathered at the cultural centre ahead of a planned trip to the town of Kobani in Syria, which was secured by Syrian Kurdish fighters last month after an assault by Islamic State militants. |
| “Turkish and Kurdish youth had come to cross into Kobani, and there were three or four days of activities planned,” she said, adding that HDP lawmakers were on their way to the scene. | “Turkish and Kurdish youth had come to cross into Kobani, and there were three or four days of activities planned,” she said, adding that HDP lawmakers were on their way to the scene. |
| A video posted on Facebook by one of the group of youth activists showed at least 20 people lying on the ground, some still alive. People milled about trying to comfort the wounded, as others cried out. Smoke and dust rose from the ground. | A video posted on Facebook by one of the group of youth activists showed at least 20 people lying on the ground, some still alive. People milled about trying to comfort the wounded, as others cried out. Smoke and dust rose from the ground. |
| A local hospital source made an urgent request for blood donations. | |
| “Ambulances and private cars are picking up the wounded. Many were killed – 20 or 30. I am going to the hospital to help out,” Adham Basho, a local politician, told Reuters by telephone as sirens wailed in the background. | “Ambulances and private cars are picking up the wounded. Many were killed – 20 or 30. I am going to the hospital to help out,” Adham Basho, a local politician, told Reuters by telephone as sirens wailed in the background. |