Suruc bombing
July 21, 2015
A suicide bombing in the southern town of Suruc has left Turkey shaken. The attack, which left more than 30 people dead and 104 wounded, took place during a gathering of the socialist youth federation in the town on the Syrian border. The Turkish government has blamed "Islamic State."
The attack happened following the end of Ramadan as the second round of coalition meetings led by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu were to take place. The majority of the victims were law, psychology and sociology students.
Turkey's Syria policy is now under greater scrutiny than ever. Even though Syrians carried out the attack, the presence of many Syrians within Turkey had not been treated, or perceived, as a serious threat. The lack of sufficient border controls created many problems.
Unheeded warnings
The international community long criticized Turkey's foreign policy in Syria and the way it had turned a blind eye to the flow of foreign fighters through the country. Even though Turkish security forces had stepped up their controls, the most deadly attack since 2013 clearly shows these measures have not been sufficient.
Turkey obviously miscalculated the effects of the war next door. It underestimated the potential that the struggle between the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and Islamic State could spill over into Turkey. After all, the PYD is the Syrian equivalent of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which fought a decades-long struggle against the Turkish government. Now, Turkish terrorism experts are warning of further attacks within the country.
At a press conference the day after the Suruc attack, Davutoglu drew parallels between the militant groups: "Al-Qaeda, the PKK and (Islamic State) have the same mindset when they carry out these attacks." He called on all Turkey's political parties to issue a joint declaration condemning terrorism.
But the time for signing declarations in Turkey has passed. Serious security measures need to be taken, not only at the border but also within the country. The threat of IS cells within Turkey also needs to be addressed urgently. And political parties must speed up coalition negotiations. Only a new government able to take a fresh look at these problems can carry Turkey to a better and secure future.