Twenty-two arrests for the Istanbul massacre which on Sunday 13 November caused six victims and 81 injured. This was announced by the Turkish Interior Minister Souleyman Soylu. Among those arrested also those who would have planted the bomb in the shopping street of Istiklal. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is accused. “The person who planted the bomb was arrested. According to our conclusions, the PKK terrorist organization is responsible, ”Soylu said in a nightly statement, broadcast by the official Anadolu news agency and local television stations. 21 other suspects were also arrested, he added. The minister accused the Kurdish forces that control much of north-eastern Syria, which Ankara considers terrorists, of being behind the attack: “We believe that the order for the attack was given by Kobane.” “Terrorist attacks against our civilians are direct or indirect consequences of some countries’ support for terrorist organizations,” said Fahrettin Altun, communications director of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “If these countries want friendship with Turkey, they must immediately stop their direct and indirect support for terrorism,” added President Erdogan’s communications director.
The attack in the shopping street
The attack, which was not claimed, killed six people and injured 81, half of whom were hospitalized. Interior Minister Soylu did not specify whether among those arrested there was the woman who could have planted the bomb as stated Sunday evening by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then by his deputy, President Fuat Oktay. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag referred to a “bag” resting on a bench: “A woman sat on a bench for 40-45 minutes, and some time later there was an explosion. All data on this woman is currently under review, ”he continued. “Either this bag contained a timer or someone activated it remotely,” he added.
Erdogan’s statements
President Erdogan was the first to denounce a “cowardly attack”, just before the flight to Indonesia and the G20 summit in Bali: “The first observations suggest a terrorist attack”, said the head of state, adding that “a woman would be involved in it. ‘ “The perpetrators of this vile attack will be exposed. May our people be sure they will be punished, ”Erdogan promised that he had already faced a campaign of terror across the country in 2015-2016.