At least 27 killed, 94 injured in bomb attack of Turkish wedding

At least 27 people were killed when a suspected suicide bomber targeted a wedding celebration in the Turkish city of Gaziantep on Saturday (August), President Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement condemning the attack.

Erdogan said it was likely Islamic State militants who carried out the late night bombing, which occurred when a large group of people from a wedding party took to the streets in celebration. Another 94 people were wounded.

“Our friends and neighbours were there. We were sad and in pain. It (attack) was carried out like an atrocity. We want to end these massacres. We are in pain, especially the women and children,” said eyewitness Ibrahim Ozdemir.

Turkey faces multiple security threats from Islamic State militants at home and across the border with neighbouring Syria as well as from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Kurdish militant group.

The country is still recovering from last month’s attempted coup when rogue troops commandeered tanks and jets in a bid to overthrow the government. Ankara blames Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen for the July 15 failed putsch. He has denied the charge.

Three suspected Islamic State suicide bombers killed 44 people at Istanbul’s main airport in June, the deadliest in a string of attacks in Turkey this year.

Suicide bombers also killed at least 95 people in October last year when they attacked a rally of pro-Kurdish and labour activists outside Ankara’s main train station.