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Two Terrorist Attacks Hit Turkey

On January 12th, a suicide bomb detonated in the highly populated city of Istanbul. The attack injured at least 15 tourists and killed 10 others On January 12th, a suicide bomb detonated in the highly populated city of Istanbul. The attack injured at least 15 tourists and killed 10 others REUTERS/Kemal Aslan

12 January 2016
Terrorist attacks in Istanbul and Ankara injured over 76 and killed at least 38.

Terrorist groups executed two suicide bombings in Turkey. On January 12th, a suicide bomb detonated in the highly populated city of Istanbul. The attack injured at least 15 tourists and killed 10 others. Although no group has taken responsibility for the attack, police investigation determined the attacker was an ISIS affiliate.

On February 18th, a suicide car bombing targeted military personnel in the capital city of Ankara. The explosion injured 61 people and killed 28 others. No group has taken responsibility for the attack; however, Turkish officials suspect the attacker was working for Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD). The PYD has denied the claims.

In response to the January attack, the Turkish government launched airstrikes that targeted ISIS positions in Bashiqa, Iraq. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu also increased military support for the United States coalition fight against ISIS in Syria. Within hours of the February 18th attack, Turkish airstrikes hit a Kurdish militant base home to the PKK in Syria.

Violence between the Turkish government and Kurdish militants has heightened over the past year. The PKK has fought for Kurdish autonomy from Turkey. The government suspects the group was responsible for attacks targeting military personnel, such as the bomb explosion at a police station in August 2015. Consequently, Turkey increased attacks against PKK and has killed an estimated 3000 militants in November and December 2015 alone.

To read more, visit:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/12/explosion-istanbul-square-sultanahmet-turkey
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2016/01/15/pm-davutoglu-to-meet-chancellor-merkel-to-discuss-istanbul-attack-terrorism-refugee-crisis
http://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/turkey-hits-back-at-isis-after-terror-blast
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-blast-idUSKCN0UQ0UJ20160113
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/explosion-in-turkish-capital-ankara-cause-unclear.aspx?pageID=238&nID=95349&NewsCatID=341
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/02/24/Turkey-insists-on-Syrian-Kurd-link-to-Ankara-attack.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-kurds-idUSKCN0VV13W

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