An explosion has taken place at the Amara Cultural Centre in Suruç, Şanlıurfa, where 330 Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) members had gathered. The SGDF members were waiting to cross into Kobane where they were to support the reconstruction efforts of the town.
Around 330 Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) members from various cities had gathered in front of the Amara Cultural Centre when the explosion took place. Reports indicate a high number of dead and injured.
Speaking to Evrensel daily newspaper and İMC TV, DBP Provincial Chairperson İsmail Kaplan said they suspected the attack to be a suicide bombing.
Interior Ministry: 27 dead, more than 100 injured
The Interior Ministry has announced that 27 people lost their lives in the explosion in Suruç, and that there are fears that the number of casualties will increase.
The Interior Ministry has made a statement regarding the explosion in Suruç:
“27 of our citizens have lost their lives so far, and we fear the number may increase. Around 100 of our citizens are being treated for injuries in hospitals in the area.”
Cluster bomb
Suruç State Hospital Deputy Chief Physician, in a statement on the condition of the injured, said that they had detected signs that the explosion was caused by a cluster bomb, and that they were treating severe burns.
Prime Ministry forms crisis desk
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has reportedly directed Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş, Interior Minister Sebahattin Öztürk and Minister of Work and Social Security Faruk Çelik to go to the region for an investigation of the explosion in the Suruç district of Şanlıurfa.
A crisis desk headed by Prime Ministry Undersecretary Kemal Madenoğlu has been formed.
HDP summons urgent meeting
HDP Deputy Chairperson Sırrı Süreyya Önder condemned the attack and announced that they had summoned an urgent party meeting. Önder added that all HDP MPs in the region are now headed for Suruç, and that they are forming an emergency coordination centre. Önder said, “It is precisely this solidarity that has been targeted by today’s explosion”.
Önder added, “Not only regarding the Kobane victory, but also the reconstruction of Kobane, and Rojava in general, what disturbed the ruling powers most there was the practice of internationalist solidarity. The merciless operations targeting political organizations displaying solidarity with the Kurdish people and its political struggle were the most obvious sign of this. It is precisely this solidarity that has been targeted by today’s explosion. Yet they do not know that solidarity cannot be pushed back by such contemptible policies of destruction and intimidation.”
CHP committee for Suruç
The CHP has sent a committee to carry out investigations regarding the explosion in Suruç. Committee members deputy chairpersons Veli Ağbaba and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, and Gaziantep MP Mehmet Şeker are travelling to Suruç.
Protests organized in many cities
The bomb attack in Suruç targeting SGDF members travelling to Kobane to support the reconstruction efforts of the town will be protested in many cities. A rally organized by DBP will be held in Diyarbakır at 18:00.
A call has been made to Tünel for a protest rally in Istanbul at 19:00.
In Ankara, a call has been made to meet in front of the ESP Headquarters at 18:00.
