2012 Gaziantep bombing
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| 2012 Gaziantep bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict | |
  2012 Gaziantep bombing (Turkey) | |
| Location | 37°04′41″N 37°22′43″E / 37.078132°N 37.378578°E Şehitkamil, Gaziantep Province, Turkey |
| Date | 20 August 2012 |
Attack type | Terror attack |
| Weapons | Remote-controlled car bombs |
| Deaths | 10 [1] |
| Injured | 64-69 |
| Perpetrator | Unclear |
The 2012 Gaziantep bombing was a terrorist bomb attack which occurred in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey on 20 August 2012, the second day of the three-day celebrations of "Şeker Bayramı" (Eid-ul-Fitr) that refers to the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.[2]
The bomb blast occurred at 19:45 in local time.[2][3] Bombs were planted in a truck and remotely detonated near Karşıyaka police station in Şehitkamil district, one of the most crowded areas of the city.[2][4][5][6] The police station was the target of the attack.[7]
As a result of the explosion, two public buses caught fire, increasing the casualties.[8] Many other cars parked on the street and shops were also badly damaged by the blast.[7]
Casualties
The attack killed eight people.[9] The next day, a 12-year-old girl died of her wounds.[10] Four of the dead were children.[11] The number of wounded people have been reported by Hürriyet to be 66,[8] some of whom were policemen.[12] Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay later said the wounded numbered 69 people.[11][13] 17 of the injured people were hospitalized, four of whom were in critical condition.[7]
Perpetrators
Although there was no claim of responsibility, the bombs were believed by Turkish officials to be planted by PKK.[8][14] However, on 21 August 2012, Fırat News announced that PKK had denied responsibility for the attack[10][13] and claimed that another Kurdish group, the TAK was responsible for the attack.[15] On 21 August, four people were detained in Şanlıurfa and brought to Gaziantep for questioning.[16]
Turkey also investigated whether any countries, such as Iran, were involved in the attack as well.[17]
