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Turks rally to honour Ankara bombing victims

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Several thousands rallied in towns around Turkey on Saturday in honour of the 102 people killed in last weekend's double suicide bombing in Ankara.

The biggest demonstration was in Istanbul, where around 1,000 gathered to remember those killed in the deadliest attack in the country's modern history, carrying pictures of the dead and signs saying "We know the killer".

Only a few anti-government slogans disturbed the silence at the protest in a square sealed off by left-wing activists to try to prevent a repeat of last week's carnage, which targeted a peace rally.

"We have not forgotten those people who died for peace," student Yigit Titiz, 26, told AFP, saying ongoing clashes between government troops and militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) would not bring peace.

Earlier, at 10:04 am (0704 GMT) -- the exact time of the attack -- hundreds of people gathered at the scene of the blast outside Ankara's main railway station, laying flowers for the dead.

Around a 1,000 demonstrated in Ankara as well, media reports said.

The government has said the Islamic State (IS) group is the prime suspect in the bombing but has also refused to rule out the involvement of Kurdish or leftist militants, even though most of the dead were Kurdish or leftists.

Balloons fly in the sky during a commemoration for the victims of the October 10 bombings in Turkey.
Balloons fly in the sky during a commemoration for the victims of the October 10 bombings in Turkey.
Bulent Kilic, AFP

Turkish media reports on Wednesday said the two bombers had been identified as Yunus Emre Alagoz, brother of the man who carried out a similar attack in Suruc in July that killed 34 people, and Omer Deniz Dundar who had twice been to Syria in recent times.

The attack has raised political tensions to new highs as Turkey prepares for a snap election on November 1, with polarisation within the country now greater than ever.

Pressure has piled on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with opposition figures blaming him for security lapses over the Ankara attack.

For almost three months, Turkey has been waging an offensive against PKK militants, who have responded with attacks of their own, killing over 140 members of the security forces.

Several thousands rallied in towns around Turkey on Saturday in honour of the 102 people killed in last weekend’s double suicide bombing in Ankara.

The biggest demonstration was in Istanbul, where around 1,000 gathered to remember those killed in the deadliest attack in the country’s modern history, carrying pictures of the dead and signs saying “We know the killer”.

Only a few anti-government slogans disturbed the silence at the protest in a square sealed off by left-wing activists to try to prevent a repeat of last week’s carnage, which targeted a peace rally.

“We have not forgotten those people who died for peace,” student Yigit Titiz, 26, told AFP, saying ongoing clashes between government troops and militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) would not bring peace.

Earlier, at 10:04 am (0704 GMT) — the exact time of the attack — hundreds of people gathered at the scene of the blast outside Ankara’s main railway station, laying flowers for the dead.

Around a 1,000 demonstrated in Ankara as well, media reports said.

The government has said the Islamic State (IS) group is the prime suspect in the bombing but has also refused to rule out the involvement of Kurdish or leftist militants, even though most of the dead were Kurdish or leftists.

Balloons fly in the sky during a commemoration for the victims of the October 10 bombings in Turkey.

Balloons fly in the sky during a commemoration for the victims of the October 10 bombings in Turkey.
Bulent Kilic, AFP

Turkish media reports on Wednesday said the two bombers had been identified as Yunus Emre Alagoz, brother of the man who carried out a similar attack in Suruc in July that killed 34 people, and Omer Deniz Dundar who had twice been to Syria in recent times.

The attack has raised political tensions to new highs as Turkey prepares for a snap election on November 1, with polarisation within the country now greater than ever.

Pressure has piled on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with opposition figures blaming him for security lapses over the Ankara attack.

For almost three months, Turkey has been waging an offensive against PKK militants, who have responded with attacks of their own, killing over 140 members of the security forces.

AFP
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With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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