Explosion and 'multiple casualties' reported at wedding ceremony in Turkey - UPDATES

RT
Sat, 20 Aug 2016 21:16 UTC

© Umit Bektas / Reuters file photo

A suicide bomber reportedly targeted a wedding ceremony in the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey near the border with Syria on Saturday night. The local governor said it was carried out by "terrorist organizations."

"A suicide bomber blew himself up" in a neighborhood where a wedding was taking place, according to a Twitter user Efridun.

At least 8 people were killed and 30 injured in the attack, according to preliminary information from the authorities, Turkish journalist Mete Sohtaoglu said on Twitter.

Other unconfirmed reports on social media say around a dozen people have been killed and scores injured.

Turkish national broadcaster NTV confirmed the news, saying a "terrorist attack" had targeted a wedding celebration.

Many ambulances have been dispatched to the area, it reported.

Gaziantep Governor Ali Yerlikaya has released a statement saying the blast was an attack by "terrorist organizations," according to Turkish Haberturk news outlet.

RT Updates:

Numerous ambulances have been dispatched to the area. According to scarce media reports, the injured, which include children, have been taken to at least four hospitals in the city, and blood donations are urgently needed to save their lives.

"The aim of terror is to scare the people but we will not allow this," said Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Gaziantep's representative in the Turkish parliament Mehmet Simsek, adding "it is barbaric to attack a wedding," as cited by AFP.

Prior to the attack, the governorship of the province declared a 15-day special security zone near the border with Syria. The decision to invoke extra security measures followed a recent Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) rocket attack that came from the Syrian side of the border, striking a Turkish town called Karkamış in Gaziantep Province. Special security zones allow authorities to search all types of border traffic in the area.

In the meantime, Turkish media authorities (RTUK) have temporarily suspended the broadcast of information regarding the deadly blast, citing national security concerns. In making the announcement, the government watchdog said that the measures had been introduced in order to avoid spreading "fear in the community which could create panic and chaos." It also noted that publications defying the order could "serve the purpose of terrorist organizations" responsible for the blast.

Broadcasters are banned from showing scenes from the moment of the explosion, scenes after the explosion, and first responders and public officials working at the scene. Showing scenes of the injured or the dead are also prohibited.

Comment: Update 1

The death toll has risen to 22 30; 94 wounded. Parliamentary deputy from the ruling AKP Party, Samil Tayyar, said that he believed that the Daesh terror network was behind the attack, not the PKK.

Update 2

The death toll is now 51. The region hit is largely Kurdish, and according to a member of the Gazientep parliament, the wedding was Kurdish. So far, no groups have claimed responsibility, but the Turks are suggesting Daesh responsibility (Daesh typically doesn't claim their attacks within Turkey). Erdogan says there is "no difference" between Daesh, the PKK, and Gulen. He also says the suicide bomber was a 12-14-year-old child. A prosecutor's office said they had uncovered a destroyed suicide vest at the site of the blast. The groom was injured, but both he and the bride survived the attack. "The celebrations were coming to an end and there was a big explosion among people dancing," 25-year-old Veli Can said, according to Reuters. "There was blood and body parts everywhere."

Update 3

(Aug. 21) The bride and groom have been re-admitted to the hospital. Footage "shows the groom sitting and crying next to the entrance of their house, which is full of shattered glass inside. His fainting bride is then carried out of the house and taken to the car. The two were transported to the Gaziantep Medical Faculty Hospital, according to RT sister news agency Ruptly."

Update 4

(Aug. 23) The death toll has now reached 54 (66 wounded, 14 critically). Two of the victims were Syrian children; tragically, their parents had fled Syria to escape Daesh. The mother of the groom says that she saw the suicide bomber and - contrary to Erdogan's claim that it was a child - "it was not a child but an adult. When he realized that I had noticed him, he rushed straight into the crowd of guests. A few seconds later there was an explosion."