Several hours ago, in yet another deadly bomb attack attributed to ISIS, at least 27 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in a powerful explosion in the town of Suruc in southeastern Turkey, 10 km from the Syrian border and across from the heavily contested town of Kobane in Syria where surprise ISIS attacks killed more than 200 people last month.
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As Xinhua reports [8], the blast hit the garden of Amara Cultural Center of Suruc district in Sanliurfa province, near the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ayn al-Arab, according to private NTV news channel.
Deputy of pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HDP) was quoted as saying that a group was making a press statement about the "rebuilding of Kobane town" when the blast occurred at the cultural center.
The cause of the blast was immediately unclear but Suruc District Governor Abdullah Ciftci said it might have been a suicide bomb. Subsequently Reuters reported that an official confirmed that the attack is indeed a terrorist attack.
Cited by RT [9], the Tukrish Interior Ministry said that "we call on everyone to stand together and remain calm in the face of this terrorist attack which targets the unity of our country. saw more than 20 bodies. I think the number of wounded is more than 50. They are still being put into ambulances," a witness told Reuters by telephone shortly after the blast.
"Ambulances and private cars are picking up the wounded. Many were killed - 20 or 30. I am going to the hospital to help out," Adham Basho, a local politician, also said.
At least 300 members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), mostly students, were staying at the Amara Cultural Center aiming to assist the rebuilding of Kobane, which is across the border from Suruc.
"Some 400 people across Turkey came to the district on Monday morning in order to cross into Kobane town. We think the perpetrators of the attack are from the Islamic State. It is a suicide bomb," Ismail Kaplan, district chairman of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) said.
It is not immediately clear what caused the blast in the town, some 10km (6.2 miles) from the Syrian border town of Kobani, which was the scene of surprise Islamic State attacks that killed more than 200 people last month. Turkiyegazetesi.com reports it appears to have been a cluster bomb explosion.
Twitter footage from ground shows the extent of the devastation:
BREAKING: Deadly blast rips through Turkish #Suruc [10] on Syrian border http://t.co/GIjOa7AN7o [11] pic.twitter.com/4H82JlHUkn [12] (pic via @ortadahaber [13])
— RT (@RT_com) July 20, 2015 [14]
#DEVELOPING [15]: Blast hits #Kurdish [16] cultural center in #Turkish [17] town of #Suruç [18] near #Syria [19]
??http://t.co/wqgf0CBWGa [20] pic.twitter.com/yZfvlh9O1b [21]
— i24news_EN (@i24news_EN) July 20, 2015 [22]
?anl?urfa Suruç'ta patlama: Çok say?da ölü ve yaral? var! http://t.co/94E0RDPc17 [23] pic.twitter.com/8ulc2DwXRw [24]
— STAR (@stargazete) July 20, 2015 [25]
Coffee shop patio targeted in the explosion in Suruç district, casualties reported
http://t.co/7Sb82YZlgX [26] #Turkey [27] pic.twitter.com/MHcDm4JVKY [28]
— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) July 20, 2015 [29]
Pic's of the aid the convoy heading to #Kobane [30] planned to distribute among Kurds in Kobane #Surucdakatliamvar [31] pic.twitter.com/KiHPThByrw [32]
— Fer Gunay (@FGunay1) July 20, 2015 [33]
The actual moment the deadly explosion went off was captured by a Twitter account [34]which for bomb experts should provide some information what sort of explosive device was used.
Viewer discretion advised
Suruç ta ki patlama an? görüntüleri :((( pic.twitter.com/MEDpWS99hE [35]
— Histokrat ?? (@serhatmamhostad) July 20, 2015 [36]
#?anl?urfa [37] #Suruç [18]'ta #Kobane [30]'nin yeniden in?aas? eyleminin bas?n aç?klamas? s?ras?ndaki patlama an? @dhainternet [38] pic.twitter.com/AZ9QSLKxH4 [39]
— 140journos (@140journos) July 20, 2015 [40]
