The Islamic State has attacked Turkey again. A suicide bomber who crossed from Syria killed at least 10 people, most of them German tourists, at Sultanahmet square in Istanbul’s historic heart yesterday inviting condemnations from world leaders. Nine of those killed were Germans and one was Peruvian. Isis suicide bombers were behind at least two similar atrocities in Turkey last year, in the capital, Ankara, and at the Syria-Turkey border town of Suruç, thus bringing Turkey to the frontline in the confrontation between Islamic State terrorists and the western-Arab governments which have launched an operation to eliminate these terrorists.
Clearly, the IS is targeting Turkey over the country’s role in Syria. Also, Istanbul is part of the US-led coalition against Islamic State which has seized territory in neighbouring Syria and Iraq, some of it directly abutting Turkey. Syria is the breeding ground of IS terrorists who are finding it easy to cross over and launch attacks.
The latest IS attack shows that the fight against the IS must be expanded and expedited. Turkish leaders have announced that the terrorists cannot destabilise their country and the whole nation stands united in the fight against terrorism. “Until we wipe out Daesh, Turkey will continue its fight at home and with coalition forces,” Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in comments broadcast live on television. He vowed to hunt down and punish those linked to the bomber. Security is likely to be strengthened across the country, especially at the tourist sites, and the border with Syria will have to be monitored more vigorously. The IS hideouts must be attacked vehemently. The terrorist group has become the biggest threat to global security.
The blast was also targeted at Turkey’s economy. Sultanahmet is just a stone’s throw from the city’s most visited sites, the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia church. Situated on the European side of Istanbul, the historic quarter is listed as a world heritage site by the UN’s cultural organisation UNESCO. Tourism is one of the pillars of Turkish economy and the blasts are meant to scare away tourists. But it’s unlikely to have any major impact. The world has become accustomed to terrorism. “The agenda changes quickly in this age. If tourism is
affected by this, it will be temporary. These things pass, but the Hagia Sophia and the Sultanahmet mosque are eternal,” a tour operator told the media after the blast.
Turkey is also facing problems in its Kurdish areas, where violence is on the increase. The government faces many challenges, but is quite capable of facing these challenges.
The world cannot enjoy security as long as Syria continues to burn. A solution to the Syrian crisis is necessary to defeat the IS.
The Islamic State has attacked Turkey again. A suicide bomber who crossed from Syria killed at least 10 people, most of them German tourists, at Sultanahmet square in Istanbul’s historic heart yesterday inviting condemnations from world leaders. Nine of those killed were Germans and one was Peruvian. Isis suicide bombers were behind at least two similar atrocities in Turkey last year, in the capital, Ankara, and at the Syria-Turkey border town of Suruç, thus bringing Turkey to the frontline in the confrontation between Islamic State terrorists and the western-Arab governments which have launched an operation to eliminate these terrorists.
Clearly, the IS is targeting Turkey over the country’s role in Syria. Also, Istanbul is part of the US-led coalition against Islamic State which has seized territory in neighbouring Syria and Iraq, some of it directly abutting Turkey. Syria is the breeding ground of IS terrorists who are finding it easy to cross over and launch attacks.
The latest IS attack shows that the fight against the IS must be expanded and expedited. Turkish leaders have announced that the terrorists cannot destabilise their country and the whole nation stands united in the fight against terrorism. “Until we wipe out Daesh, Turkey will continue its fight at home and with coalition forces,” Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in comments broadcast live on television. He vowed to hunt down and punish those linked to the bomber. Security is likely to be strengthened across the country, especially at the tourist sites, and the border with Syria will have to be monitored more vigorously. The IS hideouts must be attacked vehemently. The terrorist group has become the biggest threat to global security.
The blast was also targeted at Turkey’s economy. Sultanahmet is just a stone’s throw from the city’s most visited sites, the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia church. Situated on the European side of Istanbul, the historic quarter is listed as a world heritage site by the UN’s cultural organisation UNESCO. Tourism is one of the pillars of Turkish economy and the blasts are meant to scare away tourists. But it’s unlikely to have any major impact. The world has become accustomed to terrorism. “The agenda changes quickly in this age. If tourism is
affected by this, it will be temporary. These things pass, but the Hagia Sophia and the Sultanahmet mosque are eternal,” a tour operator told the media after the blast.
Turkey is also facing problems in its Kurdish areas, where violence is on the increase. The government faces many challenges, but is quite capable of facing these challenges.
The world cannot enjoy security as long as Syria continues to burn. A solution to the Syrian crisis is necessary to defeat the IS.
