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Turkey in shock after third fatal bomb attack in five months

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By Euronews
Turkey in shock after third fatal bomb attack in five months

Sunday’s carnage in Ankara is the third fatal bomb attack in the Turkish capital in five months.

They don't want to have peace. On the contrary, they want to drag Turkey into chaos by cooperating with terrorists. We will not allow that

It comes as the administrative heart of the state is functioning under intense security.

In October last year at least 95 people were killed and hundreds injured by twin explosions at a peace rally outside Ankara’s main train station.

In February 28 people were killed with 61 wounded as a vehicle packed with explosives was detonated as a military bus convoy passed by.

The explosion happened close to the parliament and military headquarters.

Turkey blames the latest bloodshed on the Kurdistan Workers Party(PKK).

In response Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish militant camps in northern Iraq.

Unrest and violence in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast has grown alarmingly since the 2-1/2 year truce between the Turkish State and the PKK collapsed last July.

Turkey imposed a round-the-clock curfew in three southeastern towns to allow the military to conduct operations against suspected Kurdish militants.

Ankara believes the violence is connected to the war in Syria where Kurdish militia gains against ISIL are stoking Kurdish separatist ambitions in Turkey.

The leader of the Kurdish HDP Selahattin Demirtas offers a different interpretation:“These are ferocious attacks. They are not targeting terrorists. They are killing people. This is state terrorism.”

The two sides are dangerously divided as demonstrated by Turkish Prime Minster Ahmet Davutoglu: “They don’t want to have peace. On the contrary, they want to drag Turkey into chaos by cooperating with terrorists. We will not allow that.”

As the security risks rocket in Turkey the situation is of growing concern for the United States.

Washington considers the PKK to be a terrorist organisation, yet perceives the Syrian Kurds as important allies in the battle against ISIL providing the peshmerga with air support in the war against militants.

The deteriorating situation is placing an unbearable strain on the already sensitive and complex alliances and relationships in the region.