30die in suicide bomb; IS blamed

At least 30 people are dead in southern Turkey after a suicide bombing targeting a youth center, an attack the country’s prime minister says has the hallmarks of an attack by the Islamic State.

If confirmed as an attack by the extremist group — which controls large swaths of neighboring Syria and has been involved in extensive fighting with Syrian Kurdish groups along the Turkish border for months — it could very well represent the first time the group has launched a large-scale attack within Turkey.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s office tweeted hours after the Monday attack that “initial findings ... point to Daesh involvement and a suicide bomber.”

Daesh is a common name for Islamic State in the region. The attack came during an event at a cultural center for a pro-Kurdish youth group.

President Barack Obama promised Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari U.S. support as Africa’s most populous nation battles violent extremism and the government works to root out corruption.

Obama met with Buhari, who took office in May, at the White House on Monday just days before the U.S. leader leaves for a trip to Kenya and Ethiopia.

“We’re looking forward to hearing more about his plans and about how the United States can partner with Nigeria,” Obama said.

Buhari’s visit to the White House comes as the terrorist group Boko Haram has intensified attacks in Nigeria.