Ankara: After a suicide attack at a group of young activists killed 30, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called for beefing up of security along the country's porous border with Syria as Turkey witnesses spillover of the conflict from its troubled neighbourhood.
A group of young activists – most of them University Graduates – were attending a gathering in the Turkish border town of Suruc when a suicide bomber detonated herself, claiming 30 lives.
The activists were planning to enter the Syrian town of Kobane (that lies just across the border from Suruc) and help rebuild it.
According to the BBC, the attacker is said to be a female ISIS suicide bomber, say the investigators.
PM Davutoglu's office also confirmed that Daesh (ISIS) was suspected to be involved in the suicide bombing.
Speaking in a news conference in Ankara, the PM vowed to continue to take strong steps to counter the Islamic State and also ordered the security along the border with Syria to be enhanced.
"We are face to face with a terrorism incident. We have the willpower to find and certainly punish those who are responsibl... Measures on our border with Syria... will be increased," he added.
PM #Davutoglu: Initial findings (from #Suruc terror attack) point to #Daesh involvement and a suicide bomber.
— Turkey PM Press&Info (@ByegmENG) July 20, 2015
Speaking in the aftermath of the attack, Turkish PM condemned the act, calling it an assault on Turkey's peace, democracy and stability, and not only a group, but the nation as a whole.
PM #Davutoglu: Leaders of the four parties should come together and sign a mutual declaration against terrorism. pic.twitter.com/zluro8Mlvs
— Turkey PM Press&Info (@ByegmENG) July 20, 2015
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, too, condemned the attack, saying terror has no religion or colour.
"On behalf of my people, I curse and condemn the perpetrators of this brutality...Terror must be condemned no matter where it comes from," he said.
President #Erdogan:I condemn the perpetrators of the violence in #Suruc.Terror must be condemned regardless of origin pic.twitter.com/6SEZPDWFU6
— Turkey PM Press&Info (@ByegmENG) July 20, 2015
The US also denounced the attack and expressed solidarity with the nation, which is already reeling under the burden of burgeoning number of refugees trickling from Syria.
Statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Ned Price on the Terrorist Attack in Suruç, Turkey. pic.twitter.com/hN5BvjSYZk
— WH National Security (@NSCPress) July 20, 2015
Some 1.8 million refugges from Syria are sheltered in Turkey, according to the reports.
