SANLIURFA, Turkey
Turkish security officials have all but identified the alleged suicide bomber that killed dozens in southeastern border district Suruc of Sanliurfa province on Monday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said.
Davutoglu appeared before press members in Sanliurfa Tuesday and mentioned “great progress” in identifying the suspect, calling for solidarity between political parties and across the nation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has announced that the death toll has risen to 32.
"Security forces are making intense efforts to ascertain all connections of the bomber inside and outside Turkey," Davutoglu said.
He said the suspect "most likely" had links with Daesh.
Davutoglu described the blast as an attack aimed at Turkey: "It should not be viewed as an attack carried out by a group against another in Turkey; we should display a common stance against it as an attack against the whole Turkey," said the prime minister.
In his remarks, he warned citizens against exploiting the attack for political ends, which he said would offend the nation and harm the country's future.
In addition, Davutoglu touched on comments that accused his Justice and Ruling (AK) Party and government of supporting terrorist organization, Daesh.
"Turkey and the AK Party has never had any direct or indirect relation with a terrorist organization and never tolerated terrorism," he said.
He said all necessary measures would be taken to allay any security concerns. "We will never let future and democracy of Turkey be threatened.”
The attack took place at a community center in Suruc town of Sanliurfa, across the Syrian border from the town of Kobani, which had been the scene of a series of intense clashes between Kurdish forces and Daesh since last September
It apparently targeted members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations who had gathered in the garden of the local municipality’s Amara Cultural Center during their press conference, footage showed.
Media reports said the activists had been planning to engage in efforts to rebuild Kobani after it was devastated by clashes.
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairman Selahattin Demirtas has called for an extraordinary session at the Turkish parliament over the attack.
Davutoglu reiterated his call Tuesday on all four political parties in the parliament to come to an agreement over efforts to combat terrorism. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) have welcomed the call.
Davutoglu also said his government was considering what additional security measures to take to improve Turkey’s defenses against acts of terrorism.
The prime minister also called on the HDP to “be prudent with their remarks” after the party urged its own branches and the nation to take precautions to protect themselves.
HDP co-chairman Selahattin Demirtas said Tuesday media reports suggesting the HDP was calling on citizens to arm were misleading, and such accusations against the party were “as bitter as the massacre itself”.
HDP offices and rallies have been targeted by attacks by suspects with alleged Daesh links in the buildup to the June 7 parliamentary election.
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