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| Suruç bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of theTurkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War and theRojava-Islamist conflict | |
 Forensic experts at the crime scene after the explosion | |
 Interactive map of Suruç bombing | |
| Location | 36°58′50″N38°25′32″E / 36.98056°N 38.42556°E /36.98056; 38.42556 Suruç,Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey |
| Date | 20 July 2015 (2015-07-20) 12:00 (EEST) |
Attack type | Suicide bombing,mass murder |
| Deaths | 34 (including suicide bomber)[1][2] |
| Injured | 104[3] |
| Perpetrators |  Islamic State |
| Suicide attacks in Turkey |
|---|
Aftermath of the Suruç bombing in 2015 |
| Groups responsible |
| Attacks |
TheSuruç bombing was asuicide attack[4] by the Turkish sect ofIslamic State namedDokumacılar against Turkishleftists that took place in theSuruç district ofŞanlıurfa Province inTurkey on 20 July 2015, outside the Amara Culture Centre.[5] A total of 34 people were killed (including the perpetrator)[6] and 104 were reported injured.[3][7][8][9] Most victims were members of theSocialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Youth Wing and the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF), university students who were giving a press statement on their planned trip to reconstruct the Syrian border town ofKobanî.[10][11]
Kobanî, which is approximately 10 km from Suruç, had beenunder siege by Islamic State forces until January 2015.[12] More than 300 members of the SGDF had travelled fromIstanbul to Suruç to participate in three to four days of rebuilding work in Kobanî, and had been staying at the Amara Cultural Centre while preparing to cross the border.[13] The explosion was caught on camera.[14]
The Islamic State (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack the following day.[15] ISIL had allegedly made the decision to pursue more active operations in Turkey just days before the attack.[16][17] The attacker, Şeyh Abdurrahman Alagöz (20), aKurd fromAdıyaman, reportedly had links to Islamic State militants.[18] Both the Turkish government and police were accused of turning a blind eye to ISIL activities as part of theircollaboration with ISIL and failing to give leftist and Kurdish gatherings the proper law enforcement protection given to other gatherings.[19] Two Turkish police officers were subsequently prosecuted over the bombing.[20] It was possibly the first planned attack by ISIL in Turkey, although previous incidents such as the2013 Reyhanlı bombings, the2015 Istanbul suicide bombing, and the2015 Diyarbakır rally bombings have also been blamed by some on ISIL. Soon after, the Turkish government launchedOperation Martyr Yalçın, a series ofairstrikes against mostlyKurdish militant positions in Northern Iraq and Syria.Large-scale operations against theKurdistan Workers Party (PKK), but including some ISIL targets, began on 24 July; however, most arrests were of PKK members.[21] This led to the resumption of theKurdish-Turkish conflict (2015-present).
The bombing was met with international condemnation by a variety of organizations, as well as promises by the governingJustice and Development Party (AKP) to tighten theSyria-Turkey border following the attack.[22] The leader of theNationalist Movement Party (MHP)Devlet Bahçeli criticized the government for not securing the border beforehand and thePeoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for endorsing the intended crossing of the victims to Syria despite theKobanî massacre.[23]
The district ofSuruç is located on theSyrian-Turkish border in theprovince ofŞanlıurfa, approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from the Syrian town ofKobanî. The populations of both Suruç and Kobanî are mostlyKurds, with the cultural ties between the two having resulted indeadly riots in south-eastern Turkey in October 2014 when Kobanî wasunder siege by Islamic State militants. The riots had mainly protested theTurkish government's lack of intervention in Kobanî against ISIL.[24] Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed he was not prepared to launch operations against ISIL unless it was also against the forces ofBashar al-Assad.[25] Furthermore, allegations of covert funding and the arming of ISIL by the Turkish government, which came under particular scrutiny following the2014 MİT lorries scandal, also caused heavy controversy.[26][27]
Kobanî was retaken from ISIL forces in late January 2015, with the Kurdish nationalistPeople's Protection Units (YPG) taking full control of the city. ISIL vowed to return,committing a series of massacres in the city in June 2015. The Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) of Turkey requested permission to cross the border and participate in the reconstruction of the war-torn city.[28]
During late June and early July 2015, the Turkish and Jordanian governments made threats to invade Syria[29][30] and set up buffer zones.
The bombing appeared to target members of the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF), the Youth Wing of theSocialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), of which 300 members had travelled toSuruç fromIstanbul in order to cross the border intoKobanî to take part in reconstruction projects there. The members were staying at the Amara Culture Centre and were giving a press statement on the reconstruction of Kobanî when the bombings took place.[31] Shortly after the bombing in Suruç, there was an explosion at an oldmortar warehouse in Kobanî.[32]
A survivor present at the press statement when the bombing took place, theatre actor Murat Akdağ, said that the bomb exploded in the middle of the group listening to the statement being made.[33] Wounds on casualties taken to hospital showed evidence of burns and grenade fragments.[34] A spokesperson for the municipality of Suruç added that there was the potential for a second bombing, asking individuals close to the Amara Cultural Centre to evacuate the area.[35] Initial reports identified an 18-year-oldfemale suicide bomber as the perpetrator, although the government later formally identified a male disguised as a woman as the detonator of the bomb. TheTurkish government began investigating domestic and international affiliations of the suspect shortly after identification.[36]
On 21 July, websiteEuronews reported that ISIL had claimed the attack.[15]
On 22 July, someTurkish media reports indicated the suspected perpetrator, Şeyh Abdurrahman Alagöz, whose ID card was found at the scene, was a 20-year-old Turkish Kurd fromAdıyaman who had been recruited by ISIL six months earlier.[37][18][38][39]
The Kurdish nationalistPeoples' Democratic Party (HDP) however named a 20-year-old woman, whom the police had recently released from custody, as perpetrator.[37]
Another media report pointed atDokumacılar, an ISIL-linked terrorist group.[40]
ThePrime Minister of Turkey,Ahmet Davutoğlu, formed a crisis meeting and sent Deputy Prime MinisterNuman Kurtulmuş, Interior MinisterSebahattin Öztürk and Minister of Labour and Social SecurityFaruk Çelik toSuruç to follow developments.[41][42] Deputy Prime MinisterYalçın Akdoğan condemned the bombing, stating on social media that Turkey would never yield to such terrorist attacks.[43]
ThePresident of Turkey,Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was inNorthern Cyprus at the time of the bombing.[44] In a statement, he condemned the attack and offered condolences to the relatives of the victims.[45] He further claimed that government ministers would continue their investigations.[46] Former PresidentAbdullah Gül also condemned the attack and offered condolences.[47]
TheGovernor of Şanlıurfa,İzzettin Küçük, confirmed that the explosion was a result of a suicide bombing, but caused controversy when it emerged that he had previously claimed that there was no threat from ISIL toŞanlıurfa before the bombing.[48]
TheMinistry of the Interior warned soon after the bombing occurred that casualties were likely to rise, adding that the perpetrators would be caught and brought to justice as soon as possible.[49]
ThePeoples' Democratic Party (HDP) chairmanSelahattin Demirtaş claimed that the governingJustice and Development Party (AKP) were responsible for the attack, claiming the bombing could not have taken place without assistance from the state.[50] The HDP'sparliamentary group leaderPervin Buldan released a statement claiming that the HDP would treat the attacks as a suicide bombing perpetrated by ISIL until more reliable information is made available. HDP Member of ParliamentDengir Mir Mehmet Fırat claimed that the target of the attack was theTurkish Republic itself.[51] HDPAdana Member of ParliamentMeral Danış Beştaş called the attack a 'massacre' and said the HDP Central Executive Committee would meet to discuss the bombing.[52]
The main oppositionRepublican People's Party (CHP) also sent a delegation to Suruç formed of ten MPs led by CHP Deputy LeaderSezgin Tanrıkulu.[53] Another CHP Deputy Leader,Gürsel Tekin, stated that his party had consistently warned the government that the border betweenSyria and Turkey had been left undefended, while Tanrıkulu criticised the AKP for being responsible for Turkey's situation.[54]
The Kurdish con-federalistGroup of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK) held the AKP responsible, accusing the AKP of funding ISIL, thus contributing to its terrorist attacks and efforts.[55] ThePKK blamed the Turkish government for the attack, saying the government is conspiring with ISIL.[56]This anger of the PKK contributed to PKK revenge attacks (see sectionAftermath).
Armenia – Armenian PresidentSerzh Sargsyan released a statement condemning the attack and offering condolences to the families of the dead.[57]
Czech Republic – The CzechMinistry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned and extended deepest sympathy to the families of the victims. Ministry believes that perpetrators will be brought to justice.[58]
European Union – TheEuropean Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood PolicyJohannes Hahn using his Twitter account expressed condolences to people of Suruç[59] noting that againSyrian crisis influenced tragically neighboring countries.[60][61]
Germany – The GermanMinister for Foreign Affairs,Frank-Walter Steinmeier, stated that Turkey was an important partner in fighting terror and offered sympathies with the injured and relatives of the dead. He stated that the fact that the attack targeted young people was particularly horrific.[62]
Greece – The Youth Wing of the governingSYRIZA party of Greece released a statement stating that they would continue the work of their 32 fallen comrades.[63]
NATO – AnArticle 4 meeting was convened, leading to a denouncement of the attack,[64] and a reassessment ofOperation Active Fence.[65]
Northern Cyprus – ThePresident of Northern Cyprus,Mustafa Akıncı, issued a joint press statement alongside Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was visiting Northern Cyprus when the attack occurred. In his statement, Akıncı said terrorism should always be condemned, regardless of its origin or methods.[66]
Pakistan – ThePakistan embassy inAnkara released a statement reiterating Pakistan's unconditional condemnation for all attacks of terrorism and offered their condolences to the Turkish government and citizens of Turkey.[67]
Russia – Terrorist attack condemned byRussian PresidentVladimir Putin.[citation needed]Prime MinisterDmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences to relatives of the victims.[citation needed] Russian Federal Agency for Tourism urged Russian citizens vacationing in Turkey to remain in protected tourist areas and not to leave them for their own safety.[citation needed]
Togo –Togolese PresidentKomi Sélom Klassou. expressed his sadness at the event. Togolese citizens living in Turkey were advised to flee the area.[citation needed]
United Kingdom – The BritishSecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,Philip Hammond, issued a statement onTwitter condemning the bombing and offering his sympathies for the injured and families of those killed.[68]
United States – The US embassy inAnkara released a statement condemning the attack and offering condolences to the families of the dead.[67]Demonstrations were held in severalprovinces of Turkey to protest the attack. During a protest attended by approximately 1,000 people inMersin two protestors were shot and lightly wounded by an unknown perpetrator with ahunting rifle.[69]
Two days after the bombing in Suruç two police officers were found dead in the same building in the district ofCeylanpınar, which is also inŞanlıurfa Province.[70] At least one of the officers was identified as working for an anti-terrorism task force.[71] ThePKK claimed responsibility for the attack, as a revenge act for the events in Suruç,[72] but then retracted, denouncing an autonomous local initiative. 9 people were anonymously denounced and accused of the assassinations. As of 16 April 2019, the 9 accuses acquittal is upheld by theHigher Court of Turkey.[73]
The assassinations is now commented as thecasus belli used to drop the 2013–2015Solution process, revive nationalist fervor and undo theJune 2015 Turkey elections via theNovember 2015 Turkey elections.[73]
In raids across the country, nearly 600 terror suspects were arrested including alleged members of ISIS.[74] However the majority of those arrested were members of non-Islamist groups such as the PKK,Revolutionary People's Liberation Party–Front and other left-wing groups.[75]
On 24 July, Turkey for the first time carried out airstrikes against ISIS positions in Syria near the Turkish border, without entering Syrian airspace. However, the same day Turkey also began airstrikes against PKK camps in northern Iraq, despite the fact the PKK is fighting against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.[76][77]
On 25 July following the airstrikes the president of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government,Masoud Barzani, calledPrime MinisterAhmet Davutoğlu. He urged Turkey to halt its airstrikes against the PKK over their territory and resolve their problem through negotiations.[78]
On the basis of our December 2012 decision, the Alliance has been augmenting Turkey's air defence. We remain determined, in a spirit of 28 for 28, to continue developing additional NATO assurance measures and Allies are working to prepare other possible contributions.
