‘Turkey’s 9/11’ divides nation
Twin bombings expose rifts; blame game ramps up
ANKARA, TURKEY Thousands of mourners flooded the streets of Turkey’s capital Sunday, a day after twin explosions killed at least 95 people and injured hundreds in the deadliest terrorist attack ever carried out on Turkish soil.
The mood was tense during the largely peaceful gathering, as demonstrators alternated between grief and anger toward Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government, which many believe could have done more to prevent the attacks.
The crowd chanted slogans including “we want justice” and “Erdogan is a thief and a murderer.” Riot police and water cannon vehicles surrounded the rally but remained in the distance.
On Sunday, the government, which denies involvement in the blasts, said it has appointed two chief civil inspectors and two chief police inspectors to investigate the bombings, which wounded at least 246 people, according to the prime minister’s office.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu suggested the attack could have been carried out by the extremist Islamic State, Kurdish militants or radical leftist groups.
Earlier, police used teargas to stop people bearing carnations to honor those killed from entering the site of the blasts. About 70 people were eventually allowed in, the Associated Press reported. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said police attacked its members as they tried to leave flowers at the scene.
Saturday’s attack, during a peace rally near Ankara’s central train station, shocked the nation. The blasts came seconds apart just after 10 a.m. and happened when hundreds of demonstrators — many HDP supporters — gathered to protest violence between Turkish security forces and Kurdish separatist insurgents.
“This is as close as it gets to being Turkey’s 9/11,” said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish research program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “But whereas most countries would unite after a massacre like this, Turkey has become so polarized between supporters and opponents of Mr. Erdogan that almost immediately the reaction has been a blame game.”
After declaring three days of mourning, the prime minister exchanged barbs with HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas. “They want to give this message: We can kill anyone who stands up against the (government’s political party) and cover it up,” Demirtas said.