Turkish PM lays carnations in memory of terror attack victims
11:35, 13/10/2015, TuesdayU: Update: 12:12, 13/10/2015, Tuesday
Yeni Şafak
In an unscheduled visit, Davutoğlu heads for the main train station in Ankara and prays for victims in a clear message showing he stands by the grief-stricken millions
Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has laid red carnations at the scene of Saturday's twin suicide bombings near the central train station in Ankara, as a sign of condolence.
Davutoğlu went straight to the train station in an unscheduled visit on Tuesday morning. His visit comes after 27 EU ambassadors to Turkey left a total of 97 red carnations to show their solidarity with Turkey against terrorism during a mass visit late Monday.
After a short walk through the scene of the attack with his wife Sare Davutoğlu, the grieving prime minister laid carnations at the site in memory of the victims. He has then prayed for the victims, killed in the deadliest attack in modern Turkey's history.
Davutoğlu's visit was also attended by a high-level delegation including deputies Yalçın Akdoğan and Cevdet Yılmaz, the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik as well as the party's vice chairman in Parliament, Mahir Ünal.
Prime Minister left the scene with his deputies after a short talk with taxi drivers and bagel vendors outside the main train station.
The explosions on Stuarday at a peace rally in Ankara have killed at least 97 people and injured 247 so far, said officials. The twin suicide bombing blasts took place near the capital's main train station as crowds gathered for a peace rally, held by leftist NGOs.
The government has declared three days national mourning in the aftermath of the attack, called the deadliest ever of its kind on Turkish land. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the attack, which came three weeks before the elections, was an act of terrorism. He cancelled a planned visit to Turkmenistan.
Officials in Ankara suggest the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), far-leftist armed groups or the PKK could have been involved in the attack, citing intelligence reports. But, Davutoğlu said on Monday that Turkey's intelligence, the MİT, is very close to identifying one of the suicide bombers involved in the attack.
So far, there were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.