MIDEAST-CRISIS/TURKEY-SURUC FUNERALS Mass funeral for Turkey bomb attack victims

Record ID: 146414

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/TURKEY-SURUC FUNERALS Mass funeral for Turkey bomb attack victims
  • Date: 21st July 2015
  • Summary: GAZIANTEP, TURKEY (JULY 21, 2015) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF COFFINS BEING CARRIED BY RELATIVES RELATIVES CRYING AND SHOUTING OVER COFFINS VARIOUS OF TWO WOMEN CRYING RELATIVES CRYING OVER COFFINS RELATIVES CHANTING AND MAKING 'V' SIGN WITH RIGHT HANDS RELATIVES WITH COFFINS (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) EYEWITNESS, SERIFE ERBAY, SAYING: "We
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABYMDU697YGTNCJ3VOFEGXRXRD
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A funeral was held in the Turkish city of Gaziantep on Tuesday (July 21) for 27 of the victims of a bomb attack that took place in the nearby town of Suruc on Monday (July 20).
    At least 30 died in the blast, carried out by a suspected Islamic State suicide bomber.
    Many of the victims were students who'd been in the mostly Kurdish town of Suruc in southeastern Turkey, some 10 km (6 miles) from the Syrian town of Kobani, where Kurdish fighters have been battling Islamic State.
    Families and friends of the victims cried and shouted as the coffins were laid out, before being sent to their respective cities for burial.
    Those attending struck a defiant tone.
    "We will not give up, whatever happens. We will defend peace and brotherhood," said Serife Erbay.
    Monday's explosion tore through a group of mostly university-aged students from an activist group as they gathered to make a statement to the local media about a trip they were planning to help rebuild Kobani.
    A friend of one of the victims said she was traumatised by what had happened.
    "I really can't believe this. I thought when I saw his mother I would believe it, but I feel as if he will be here soon. I can't believe it, he was against violence," said Tugba Sumer.
    Turkey's NATO allies have been seeking tighter controls on a porous border with Syria that runs alongside Islamic State-held territories. But monitoring is difficult with 1.8 million Syrian refugees now on the Turkish side and smuggling is rife.
    Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the attack was most likely a suicide bombing. The Hurriyet newspaper said the attacker was an 18-year-old woman, but there was no confirmation.
    The Suruc attack comes weeks after Turkey deployed additional troops and equipment along parts of its border with Syria, concerned about the risk of spillover as fighting between Kurdish forces, rebel groups, Syrian government troops and Islamic State militants intensifies.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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