Suruc Bomb Blast Suspect Has Been Identified
A preliminary report has indicated that the Suruc bomb blast that killed 32 people and left hundreds others wounded has been identified. Speaking to the press on Monday, Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Prime Minister said, “There is a high probability that the Islamic State is to blame.” Mr. Davutoglu who was scheduled to visit the blast site said that the criminal’s domestic and international links were under investigation. Following the blast, the Turkish government has vowed to increase security personnel especially along the Turkish border with Syria. The Prime Minister observed that, “What’s necessary will be done against whomever is responsible. This is an attack that targeted Turkey.”
When responding to claims that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), had not done enough in combating militia groups such as IS, Mr. Davutoglu said, “The government has never tolerated any terrorist group.” In a bid to step-up security, a cabinet meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday. The meeting is aimed at examining the possibility of additional security measures in porous areas such as the Syria-Turkey border. In spite of widespread speculations of their involvement, IS militants have not confirmed responsibility.
Since the blast one day ago, officials have been suggesting that the bomber is a female. Local media on the other hand, have maintained that the bomber is actually a male. Most of those who died were youth activists mainly university students who were holding a news conference on Monday afternoon when a suspected bomber ripped through the gathering at Amara Cultural Centre. After the Monday afternoon conference, the activists were planning to travel and help in the rebuilding of Kobane town. Throughout social media, there were photos of Federation of Socialist Youth Associations’ members relaxing as they had breakfast Monday morning before some of them met their death.
Funerals of some of the Monday blast victims have taken place amid calls to the government to beef up security. However, several relatives are waiting to hear about their dead loved ones two days after the blast. The Prime Minister said that out of the 100 people who were left wounded by the blast, 29 of them are receiving treatment in various hospitals in the country. One young mother was heard crying out loud from one hospital. She said this was because she could not find her child dead or alive. This forced her to continue the search from a different hospital that received blast victims. Another woman who saw her child’s name on a list of patients taken in the facility could not find her child in the hospital beds or the mortuary.
Emre Genc, a student who was taking the photos during the news conference, fled the scene unhurt when the explosion happened.
