Turkish Press Review

ISTANBUL

Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Tuesday’s newspapers dedicated their pages to Monday’s deadly attack in southeastern Turkey.

HURRIYET wrote “We curse it” on its front page and ran a photo showing bodies on the ground covered by newspapers after the explosion. It also ran two other photos, one at the exact moment of the blast and another showing the victims sitting around a table and drinking tea just before the suspected suicide bomb attack.

Thirty-one people were killed and over 100 people were wounded in an explosion in southern Sanliurfa province on Monday. The blast in a community center in Suruc, a town close to the Syrian border, reportedly targeted activists who planned to visit the Syrian town of Kobani after it was devastated by fighting between Kurdish forces and Daesh.

MILLIYET ran the headline: “Damnation,” while VATAN's front page read: “They [Daesh] crossed the border,” noting that Daesh, which Ankara suspects is responsible for the attack, targeted Turkey for the first time.

Speaking to journalists in Ankara, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu indicated Daesh had carried out the attack.

HABERTURK covered the story saying “Attack against our unity”, referring to Davutoglu’s remarks.

“This attack was [carried out] against Turkey and everyone [in the country],” he said during a press conference. “It is time to display a common approach against terror. Let’s sign a joint declaration, as leaders of four parties. I am ready for it.”

Speaking to HABERTURK on Monday, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of Republican People's Party (CHP), said: “If it [signing a joint declaration] will contribute to a solution, we will sign it.” The CHP leader also called on local members to donate blood for those wounded in the blast. 

The leaders of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) issued a statement condemning the “inhuman and despicable” massacre. Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag offered to collaborate with all political parties to stop potential forthcoming attacks.

Tuesday also saw the news that the U.S. and Cuba mutually reopened their embassies, ending a more than 50-year freeze of diplomatic relations.

VATAN headlined: “New era with Washington,” while HURRIYET covered the story saying, “Cuba flag was raised after 54 years.”

Full relations were restored on Monday, setting in motion a day of flurried ceremonial events.

In Washington, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez presided over a flag-raising ceremony at Havana’s mission. Hundreds of demonstrators, some celebrating and others protesting, assembled outside the embassy, filling the air with chants.

“Half-century Cold War has officially ended,” wrote AKSAM, reporting that Cubans formed a queue to obtain visas to the U.S. in front of the embassy in the Cuban capital Havana.