Turkey Bombing 2015 — at least 31 people were killed and nearly 100 others were injured when a suicide bomber detonated through a rally in the Turkish town of Suruc, on Monday. According to the Turkish government, the blast was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks to shake the nation in years.
The Turkey bombing 2015 occurred at midday at the Amara Cultural Park in Suruc on Jul. 20, where a political group, the Federation of Socialist Youths, had rallied for more help to restore the Syrian Kurdish city of Kobani, the scene of intense fighting between Syrian rebels and Kurdish forces and ISIS, NBC News reported.
The Turkish authorities said the attack appeared to be a suicide bomb attack mounted by self-styled Islamic militants. According to RTE News, the blast tore through a group of students from an activist group as they convened a local press event. The attacker was said to be an 18-year-old woman but the claim was unconfirmed.
A senior official said the initial evidence of the Turkey bombing 2015 showed that the suicide attack was carried out by ISIS in retaliation for the Turkish government's efforts to fight terrorism. President Tayyip Erdogan said they don't plan any unilateral invasion into Syria but strongly declared the Turks will do whatever is necessary to defend the nation's borders.
"I condemn those who conducted this brutality," Erdogan said, CNN noted, "Terror has no religion, no country, no race. That is why we have been consistent in underlining the need for a global effort to fight terror."
The Turkey bombing 2015 came weeks after the authorities deployed additional troops and equipment along parts of its border with Syria. Due to the explosion, the nation is concerned about the dangers as fighting between Kurdish forces, rebel groups, Syrian government troops and self-styled Islamic State militants deepens.
Turkish officials have also sworn to seek vengeance against those who carried out the explosion in the southeastern part of the nation that shattered the hope for rebuilding Kobani.
"We are face to face with a terrorism incident," Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, Star Tribune quoted, "We have the willpower to find and certainly punish those who are responsible."
Meanwhile, Davutoglu announced that the authorities have identified the suspect responsible for the Turkey bombing 2015. Though he did not reveal the name, he said the suspect of the suicide bombing might have connections to ISIS. And while initial reports suggested the suicide bomber was a woman, BBC News revealed it was a man.
"One suspect has been identified. All the [suspect's] links internationally and domestically are being investigated," he said on Tuesday, "We expect this investigation to be concluded as soon as possible."
The death toll of the Turkey bombing 2015 has also risen to 32, with 29 more victims currently at the hospitals. Al Jazeera has learned that ISIS/ISIL has claimed responsibility for the attack.
