Turkey wedding suicide hit death toll 51
 

Erdogan says suicide bomber aged between 12 and 14 either detonated bomb or others detonated it; IS likely perpetrator of attack; world condemns attack

GAZIANTEP: A suicide bomber, 12, killed at least 51 people at a wedding in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, pointing the finger at the Islamic State.

Erdogan said Saturday’s blast in Gaziantep near the Syria border “was the result of a suicide bomber aged between 12 and 14, who either detonated (the bomb) or others detonated it”.

The explosion was the latest attack to rock the key Nato member in a horrific year that has seen strikes blamed on Kurdish and Islamist militants as well as a bloody July 15 botched coup.

The president said the Islamic State was the “likely perpetrator” of the bomb attack, the deadliest in 2016, that targeted a celebration attended by many Kurds.The remains of a suicide vest were found at the scene, the chief prosecutor’s ****** said on Sunday, according to the broadcaster CNN-Turk.

Gulser Ates, one of scores wounded in the attack, told the Hurriyet the attack took place as the party was breaking up.“We were sitting on chairs, having a chat with one of our neighbours. During the explosion, the neighbour died on top of me. I remember being underneath. If my neighbour hadn’t fallen on top of me, I would have died,” she said, adding: “The bride and groom’s happiest day was poisoned.”

A**ther resident in Gaziantep told the Dogan news agency he saw many bodies and body parts including a “head, arm, hand scattered on the ground”.The bride and groom - Besna and Nurettin Akdogan - were rushed to hospital but were **t seriously wounded.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, the bride was released from the hospital, saying as she left: "They turned our wedding into a bloodbath." Meanwhile, images on the CNN-Turk showed rows of coffins covered in white sheets. Crowds of mourners gathered to pray and chants of Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) could be heard.

Erdogan told reporters the death toll was **w 51 with 94 hurt in the attack. A total of 69 people remained in hospital, with 17 in critical condition. The bride and groom were reportedly from the mainly Kurdish region of Siirt further to the east and had themselves been uprooted due to the flare-up in violence with Kurdish militants.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples´ Democratic Party (HDP) said its members had been present at the wedding, also attended by many women and children.

Erdogan said such attacks were aimed to sow division between Turkey’s different groups including Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen and to "spread incitement along ethnic and religious lines".

Many jihadists see Kurds as one of their main enemies, with Kurdish militias playing a significant role in the fight against IS on the ground in Syria.

A defiant Erdogan said there was "** difference" between the group of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen whom he blames for the failed coup bid the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Daesh (IS).

"Our country and our nation have again only one message to those who attack us you will **t succeed!" he said.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Gaziantep would show the same spirit it had shown in 1921 when it defeated French forces in Turkey’s Independence War which led to the word Gazi (war hero) being added to its original name of Antep.

"Our grief is great, but be sure our unity and togetherness will defeat all these diabolic attacks," he said.

World leaders quickly condemned the attack, with President Francois Hollande de**uncing the "vile" incident and pledging that France "stands with all who fight against the scourge of terrorism".

US ambassador to Turkey John Bass condemned the "barbaric attack on in**cent civilians", adding that Washington would "continue to work to defeat the common threat of terrorism". The pope called on the faithful to pray for the victims while Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the "cowardly and underhand" attack "in the strongest terms."

APP adds: Pakistan Sunday condemned the terrorist attack in Turkey and reaffirmed solidarity with the government and the people of Turkey.

“The government and the people of Pakistan are deeply saddened by the news of the latest terrorist attack in Turkey, targeting a wedding ceremony in Gaziantep,” a press release by the Foreign ****** said.

The FO said the heartlessness of this brutality was evident from the fact that a celebration was turned into mourning. “Pakistan condemns this despicable act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms and reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, it added.

Pakistan also extended condolences to the brotherly people and government of Turkey. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who lost their loved ones. We also pray for the speediest recovery of the wounded,” the press release said.





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