A massacre in the middle of İstanbul with 400 kilograms of explosives
On Saturday evening at around 22:15, a car loaded with explosives was blown up in front of Vodafone Arena in İstanbul right after a soccer match between the host team Beşiktaş and Bursa Spor.
Only about a minute later, a second explosion took place at Maçka Park, also near the stadium.
While Turkey’s officials explained that around 400 kilos of explosives were used in the attacks, the second explosion, which was then understood to have been caused by a suicide attack at the Maçka Park, was caught on a private car’s camera.
Suicide bomber on camera
In the video, it is observed that the suicide bomber detonates himself as people - who are thought to be police officers - around him begin running towards him. No further details have been shared by officials in regards to the suicide attack in Maçka.
Explosions were heard even from the Asian coast of the Bosporus
The explosions, which claimed lives of 44 people - 36 police officers and 8 civilians - were heard even from the Asian side of İstanbul. Turkey declared a day of mourning for today (December 12).
13 people in custody in connection to attacks
As 5 prosecutors, including İstanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor İrfan Fidan and Deputy Chief Prosecutor from counter terrorism department İsmail Uçar, have been given duty to handle the investigations, 13 people were taken into custody in connection to the attacks. Additionally, 3 people have also been taken into custody for their posts on social media, which are considered by officials as ‘siding with the attackers’ or ‘causing tension.’ Prosecutor’s office announced that media sources and social media accounts are also being monitored in order to spot ‘users or sources that share and spread messages and comments serving for propaganda of terrorist groups and terrorism.’
Attacks have been claimed by TAK
In a statement released on its website, Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) has claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying: “While imprisonment of Chief Apo (Abdulllah Öcalan) continues; while mothers in Kurdistan are tortured under fascism of Republic of Turkey and AKP government every day; while young girls play around funerals; and while children there are slaughtered, it should not be expected for a comfortable life to be led in Turkey. People of Turkey must say ‘stop’ to this fascism already! Because, it is the fascism of AKP that is solely responsible for this chaos.”
Statement of TAK also included a message where it was stated that ‘civilians were not targeted’ and the actual number of police officers who were killed was ‘near 100.’
Interior Minister Soylu: ‘Regardless of the cost, we are going to take revenge’
In his statement during a funeral in İstanbul, Interior Minister Soylu said: “…we tell those viles who are no longer humans this: starting tomorrow, priority of the security forces of Republic of Turkey is to take take revenge on those who did this... Regardless of the cost, we are going to get even...”
Front-page article of BirGün on 12 December 2016, Monday
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/400-kilo-bombayla-istanbul-da-katliam-139154.html