Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to bring terrorism to its knees after an attack in the capital Ankara that killed at least 34 people and 125 wounded yesterday. Mr Erdogan said the suicide car bomb would serve only to strengthen the resolve of Turkey’s security forces. Mr Erdogan said in a statement that terror groups were targeting civilians because they were losing the battle against Turkish security forces.
Turkish president said Turkey recently became a target of terrorist attacks because of instability in the region. “Terror organizations and their pawns are targeting our innocent citizens in the most immoral and heartless way as they lose the fight against our security forces,” he said.
“Terror attacks – which intend to target the integrity of Turkey, unity and solidarity of our people – do not diminish our will to fight against terror, but further boost it,” he added.
Erdogan assured Turkish citizens that the country’s fight against terrorism will “successfully conclude by bringing down terror to its heel”.
Turkish health minister earlier increased the toll in the car bomb attack in central Kizilay to 34 dead and 125 injured.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but government sources are casting suspicion on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). According to Turkey’s state-run news agency, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has postponed a visit to Jordan following the bombing.
The United States condemned the attack. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also condemned the attack, saying there was no justification of such heinous acts of violence. Turkey’s pro-Kurdish political party issued a statement condemning the attack. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said it shares the huge pain felt along with our citizens.