At least 30 people have been killed after twin explosions tore through the opening stages of a peace rally in the Turkish capital Ankara today.
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An Associated Press photographer saw several bodies covered with bloodied flags and banners that demonstrators had brought with them for the rally. The interior ministry said 30 people were killed and 126 wounded.
The pro-Kurdish HDP party, which was attending the rally, claimed that its members were deliberately targeted and hinted that the state was responsible.
Turkey is facing multiple security threats – not just from homegrown leftist militants, but from Islamic State fighters in Syria as well. It has also rounded up hundreds of suspected militants at home.
The party tweeted that there were “numerous dead and injured”, and that police “attacked” people carrying the injured away. Leader Selahattin Demirtaş labelled the government “a murderer”.
The blast was reported by the semiofficial Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s largest news outlet, and by a witness who telephoned CNN.
The cause of the blasts is being ascertained, the agency said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also cancelled his program of events in Istanbul and was briefed by Altinok and Muezzinoglu.
“We’re ready to come together and work sincerely to finish terror”, Kilicdaroglu, whose party is seen as a potential coalition partner for the ruling AK Party after the November 1 election, told reporters in comments broadcast live. The rally, organized by the Confederation of Public Sector Trades’ Unions (KESK), was to call for an end to the renewed conflict between the terrorist organization PKK and the Turkish state. Hundreds have since died.
The blasts took place near the city’s central train station. “We curse and condemn this atrocious attack taking aim at our democracy and our country’s peace”, the statement said.
The explosion occurred at a time of growing security concerns in Turkey, and three weeks ahead of a parliamentary election. Erdogan denies the accusation.
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There had been suggestions that the PKK was about to announce a new ceasefire to help the HDP boost its score in the upcoming election.
