Twin explosions hit a rally held by pro-Kurdish and leftist activists near the main train station in Ankara on Saturday, killing at least 97 people and wounding more than 500.
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Turkey has said it is close to identifying one of the Ankara suicide bombers and that evidence pointed to “a certain group” being responsible for the deadly attacks. DNA tests are being conducted. We are getting close to one name that will show association to the group.
On Monday, several victims’ funerals were due to take place in Istanbul and Selahattin Demirtas, leader of the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), was expected to attend.
Funerals for more of the victims were held on Monday, with a few mourners expressing anger at the government. The Prime Minister’s office said late on Saturday that 95 people had been killed.
The increasing signals of possible Islamic State links to Saturday’s bloodshed – which killed almost 100 people – has raised pressure on Turkey’s government before elections November 1 with critics demanding more steps to keep Syria’s civil war from spilling over into Turkey.
Firat news agency reported Murat Karayilan as saying that the PKK should not carry out operations in Turkey unless they came under attack from the security forces.
China opposes terrorism in any form and strongly condemns such terrorist attacks aimed at civilians, Xi said in his message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey has suffered a spiral of violence since July, when a similar suicide bombing killed 33 Turkish and Kurdish activists in a town near the Syrian border, ending a cease-fire.
There was no claim of responsibility and HDP says there was no proper investigation.
Seibert said the visit will focus on the countries’ “common fight against terrorism”, the situation in Syria and dealing with migrant crisis.
The blasts targeted crowds at a lunchtime peace rally calling for an end to the renewed conflict between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Turkish government.
Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan had already dismissed the anticipated PKK ceasefire declaration as a “tactic” ahead of the election, reiterating government demands that the militants lay down arms and leave Turkey.
“On behalf of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, I offer our deepest condolences on the horrendous loss of human life as a result of the terror attacks in Ankara”, Council on American-Islamic Relations executive director Nihad Awad said in a letter to Ambassador Serdar Kilic.
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Declaring three days of mourning, Davutoglu said there were “strong signs” the attack was carried out by two suicide bombers.
