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| Turkey Calls Deadly Blast at Suruc, Near Syria, a Terrorist Attack | Turkey Calls Deadly Blast at Suruc, Near Syria, a Terrorist Attack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ISTANBUL — A large explosion at a cultural center in the Turkish town of Suruc, near Syria, on Monday killed at least 27 people and wounded 100 others, the Interior Ministry said. | ISTANBUL — A large explosion at a cultural center in the Turkish town of Suruc, near Syria, on Monday killed at least 27 people and wounded 100 others, the Interior Ministry said. |
| The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, but the ministry said it was a terrorist attack. A security official at the mayor’s office in Suruc said there were suspicions that the blast was a suicide bombing. | The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, but the ministry said it was a terrorist attack. A security official at the mayor’s office in Suruc said there were suspicions that the blast was a suicide bombing. |
| “We are calling on all for common sense in the face of this terrorist attack targeting our country’s unity,” the ministry said in a statement. | “We are calling on all for common sense in the face of this terrorist attack targeting our country’s unity,” the ministry said in a statement. |
| The official at the mayor’s office in Suruc said that the explosion had hit the Amara Cultural Center during a gathering of young Turks and Kurds who were discussing plans to travel to Kobani, across the border in Syria, as part of a summer expedition to rebuild the town. | |
| “Investigations are underway, and it is too early to speculate over the cause, but there are fears that the attack is linked to Islamic State militants,” the official said. | “Investigations are underway, and it is too early to speculate over the cause, but there are fears that the attack is linked to Islamic State militants,” the official said. |
| The attack on Monday took place two weeks after Turkey stepped up efforts to combat Islamic extremists through a series of raids that resulted in arrests across the country. On Saturday, Turkish security forces arrested nearly 500 people trying to cross into Syria through Turkey. | The attack on Monday took place two weeks after Turkey stepped up efforts to combat Islamic extremists through a series of raids that resulted in arrests across the country. On Saturday, Turkish security forces arrested nearly 500 people trying to cross into Syria through Turkey. |
| Suruc is about eight miles from Kobani, which Kurdish fighters have defended from repeated attacks by the Islamic State as a military coalition led by the United States has carried out airstrikes. The Islamic State suffered a blow when it lost control of Kobani in January. | Suruc is about eight miles from Kobani, which Kurdish fighters have defended from repeated attacks by the Islamic State as a military coalition led by the United States has carried out airstrikes. The Islamic State suffered a blow when it lost control of Kobani in January. |
| Witnesses said that two men had been seen carrying bags into the garden of the cultural center before blowing themselves up. | Witnesses said that two men had been seen carrying bags into the garden of the cultural center before blowing themselves up. |
| “Bodies and body parts were scattered all over the place,” said Mustefa Ebdi, a Kurdish activist based in Suruc who arrived at the scene shortly after the blast. “Passers-by rushed to evacuate the wounded from the scene and then rushed them to the hospital.” | “Bodies and body parts were scattered all over the place,” said Mustefa Ebdi, a Kurdish activist based in Suruc who arrived at the scene shortly after the blast. “Passers-by rushed to evacuate the wounded from the scene and then rushed them to the hospital.” |
| Television footage showed dozens of people lying on the grass as plumes of smoke rose up from the ground. Ambulances and private cars arrived to pick up the wounded. | Television footage showed dozens of people lying on the grass as plumes of smoke rose up from the ground. Ambulances and private cars arrived to pick up the wounded. |
| Another explosion was reported in Kobani on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in Britain, said the blast had been caused by a car bomb targeting a checkpoint operated by Kurdish militia forces. It was not immediately clear whether the two explosions were linked. | Another explosion was reported in Kobani on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in Britain, said the blast had been caused by a car bomb targeting a checkpoint operated by Kurdish militia forces. It was not immediately clear whether the two explosions were linked. |