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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
(about 2 hours 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 28 people and wounded 100 others, the prime minister’s office 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. Turkish government officials have called the bombing a terrorist attack and said that initial evidence suggested that two suicide bombers had caused it.
“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 believe today’s terrorist attack to be an act of retaliation against the Turkish government’s continued effort to fight terrorism,” said an official at the office of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
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. The attack 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.
“We are calling on all for common sense in the face of this terrorist attack targeting our country’s unity,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement Monday.
The explosion was the deadliest terrorist attack along the Turkey-Syria border since car bombings in 2013 left dozens dead in the town of Reyhanli.
An official at the mayor’s office in Suruc said that the explosion on Monday hit the Amara Cultural Center during a gathering of a youth group of Turks and Kurds meeting to discuss entering 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. Amateur video footage published by the Dogan News Agency shows a youth group chanting slogans and carrying a banner in the garden of the culture center before an explosion ripped through the crowd.
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 Mustafa 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.
Suruc is about eight miles from the Syrian town of 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.
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.