Ankara bombs kill dozens at peace rally
October 10, 2015, 9:47 am

The twin blasts at a planned peace rally come just weeks ahead of elections [Xinhua]

Hospitals issued an urgent appeal for blood donations as investigators began piecing together the bomb blasts which appear to have targeted a peace rally organized by the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) to protest the escalating violence in the northeast of the country.

Police sources said they were investigating eyewitness reports of a possible suicide bomber carrying out the attack.

There have been no immediate claims of responsibility.

The planned peace rally was meant to protest the recent violence between the Turkish military and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the northeastern Diyarbakir province. The violence there, which has killed hundreds, flared after the Turkish military began launching air raids against PKK positions in Turkey and neighboring Iraq in July.

Turkish fighter jets also targeted the Islamic State in Syria.

Escalating violence

In late July, NATO held an emergency meeting and pledged support for Turkey’s campaigns against ISIL.

On July 20, a male suicide bomber killed 32 demonstrators in Suruc, near the Syrian border and regions held by ISIL.

They had been peacefully calling on help to rebuild the Syrian town of Kobani (Ain Al Arab) which was earlier this year liberated from ISIL’s hold.

More than 100 people were wounded in the attack.

Four days later, two Turkish policemen were killed in Ceylanpinar in southeastern Turkey. The Kurdish rebel group Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) claimed responsibility saying the attack was in retaliation for the massacre in Suruc. The PKK accused Turkish security forces of collaborating with ISIL.

Ankara launched air raids against their positions in northern Iraq the following day.

On July 26, a car bomb targeting a Turkish military vehicle in Diyarbakir killed two soldiers and injured four.

The PKK has been for decades fighting to create a Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey. It is classified as a terrorist organization by the US and EU.

The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies