Bursa – A suicide bomb attack was executed by a woman in the city of Bursa in Turkey. It occurred in the proximity of Bursa’s Grand Mosque at 5:26 pm.
Police proceeded to close down the area as ambulances approached to treat the victims. According to Turkish health minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu, all of the 13 injured were expected to survive the hospitalization procedures.
Reactions to the bombing
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu issued a statement on state TV channel TRT after the health minister’s declaration; he stated that there were 8 injured instead of 13, without giving a specific reason.
“This was an attack aimed at our nation, our people, our peace. Eight of our citizens were wounded. Thank God, no citizen was critically wounded,” he commented.
Prime Minister Davutoglu argued that Turkey will not retreat in its fight against terrorism, and that additional security measures are to be expected, as the investigations develop regarding the responsibility of the attack.
The events occurred the day after the United States embassy in Ankara issued a terrorism warning directed at American citizens in Turkey: “The US government continues to receive credible indications that terrorist groups are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey.”
The siege on Turkey
There have been at least four other suicide bombings in Turkey, two in Istanbul, openly linked to the Islamic State and two simultaneous attacks in Ankara. One of the bombings in Istanbul claimed the lives of 12 German tourists, the other managed to kill 3 Israelis and one Iranian.
The bombings in Ankara left a casualty count of 103, one through a car filled with explosives and the other carried on by a lone suicide bomber. Both attacks were also blamed on IS, as the events comprised the most fatal terrorist attack in the last decades within Turkish territory.
The Bursa bombing occurred near its 14th century Grand Mosque, also known as Ulu Camii. The bomber was identified as a 25-year old woman and the blast managed to destroy nearby windows, from which most of the injuries were originated.
Turkey has been one of the major combatants against the Islamic State, as the country’s air forces and artillery have managed to take down at least 900 alleged members of the terrorist group in operations within Syria over the course of 2016. Turkey has been in constant assault by both the Islamic State and the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), who have managed to stage two terrorist attacks in Ankara, claiming the lives of dozens of civilians in February.
Source: Reuters