Reactions to the March 2016 Istanbul bombing

A number of countries, national leaders and international organisations expressed comments or lit monuments in reaction to the March 2016 Istanbul bombing.

Domestic

• Following the attack, a meeting headed by Prime Minister Davutoğlu convened in Dolmabahçe Palace for "evaluation".^[1] He vowed to continue fight against 'centers of terrorism'.^[2]
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote a letter of condolences to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, saying he was “very sorry” to hear that three Israelis were killed and 10 wounded in the Istanbul attack.^[3]
• RTÜK, the Turkish board that regulates radios and TV channels, issued a ban on broadcasting images from the scene of attack.^[4]
• KCK announced that they are against the targeting of civilians, and condemned attacks that are carried out in this way.^[5]
• Selahattin Demirtaş, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), condemned the attack and said "the government may have got used to such attacks, but we will not".^[6]
• Selin Sayek Böke, spokesperson of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said "today have died again" and "we will not get used to terror, terror will not be normalised".^[7]
• Some Turkish people expressed their gratitude to Germany for warning about the attack, which they claim may have prevented more deaths, and reacted by using the Twitter hashtag #DankeSchönDeutschland ("Thank you very much Germany" in German), which became trending in Turkey.^[8] While Vasip Şahin, governor of Istanbul, claimed in response that the attack was not related to the warning given by the German consulate.^[9]
• Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş, in a statement criticised by Cumhuriyet as "scandalous", said that this was "a test in which, thanks to God, our citizens are performing very well".^[10]
• Turkish official İrem Aktaş was reportedly fired after tweeting that she wished death upon the Israeli tourists injured in the suicide bombing.^[11][12]

International

Countries

•  Argentina: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina released a statement condemning the attack and sending condolences to the Turkish people.^[13]
•  Bulgaria: A statement from Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov on the suicide attack reads: "We convey our most sincere condolences to the relatives of victims and wish a successful recovery to the injured individuals. Bulgaria shows solidarity with the efforts of the competent authorities in the Republic of Turkey aimed at soon finding those responsible for the attack"^[14]
•  Colombia: The Government of Colombia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released a statement condemning the attacks and stated that "Colombia manifests its solidarity with the people and Government of Turkey and expresses its condolences to the friends and family of the victims of this reproachable act."^[15]
•  France: Jean-Marc Ayrault, France's Foreign Minister, condemned the bombing, saying "I strongly condemn this despicable and cowardly act that has caused the death of several people," while adding that Paris stood in solidarity with Turkey.^[16]
•  Georgia: The Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has condemned the terrorist attack. The Georgian leader believed the Turkish government together with the international society would stop this "terrible crime”.^[17]
•  Greece: The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, releasing a statement saying, "Greece unequivocally condemns terrorism, whatever its source. We express our solidarity with the Turkish people and the deep condolences of the Greek people and the Greek government to the victims' families".^[18]
•  Iran: Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, condemned the bombing and called it "inhumane".^[19]
•  Malaysia: The Malaysian government strongly condemns the attack and expresses its deepest condolences to the government and people of Turkey.^[20]
•  Pakistan strongly condemned the suicide blast in Istanbul that killed five and injured many others. In a Foreign Office statement: “Pakistan condemns this terrorist act in the strongest terms and reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”.^[21]
•  Qatar: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar released a statement saying "Qatar condemns these criminal acts, which are incompatible with the principles of Islam, human values and international law".^[22]
•  Singapore: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore released a statement condemning the suicide attack and convey deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who are injured.^[23]
•  Spain strongly condemned the "cruel attack" through an official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveyed "its deepest sympathies and condolences" to the families and friends of the victims, and wished those injured a speedy recovery. Spain also passed on its support for and solidarity with the Turkish authorities in its fight against terrorism, and trusted that the authors will be brought to justice.^[24]
•  United States condemned the terrorist attack through a statement released by John Kirby, spokesperson for the United States Department of State, "The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack today on Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and our hopes for a quick recovery for those wounded", the statement said.^[25]

Organizations

•  NATO: Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary General condemned the suicide bomb attack in Istanbul, and said the treaty will continue to support Turkey in its fight against terror.^[26]
•  United Nations: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned bombing and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice, consistent with human rights obligations.^[27]

See also

• Reactions to the November 2015 Paris attacks

References

1. "Dolmabahçe'deki kritik toplantı sona erdi". Cumhuriyet. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
2. "Turkey's Davutoglu vows to continue fight against 'centers of terrorism'". Reuters. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
3. "Erdogan sends condolence letter to Rivlin with message of unity against terror". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
4. "Board orders broadcast ban after Istanbul suicide blast". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
5. "KCK condemns attacks targeting civilians". Retrieved 19 March 2016.
6. "Demirtaş'tan bombalı saldırı için açıklama: Alışmayacağız". Cumhuriyet. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
7. "CHP'den İstiklal Caddesi'ndeki saldırıya ilk tepki". Cumhuriyet. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
8. "İstiklal'deki patlama sonrası Twitter kullanıcıları: Teşekkürler Almanya". Cumhuriyet. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
9. "Vali Şahin: Saldırının konsolosluk uyarısıyla ilgili yok". Hürriyet. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
10. "Numan Kurtulmuş'tan skandal sözler: Milletimiz güzel bir sınav veriyor". Cumhuriyet. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
11. "Turkish official fired after wishing death on Israelis hurt in bombing". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
12. "Turkish Islamist party official fired for controversial anti-Israel tweet". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
13. "Arjantin, İstanbul'da gerçekleştirilen terör saldırısını kınadı". Milliyet. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
14. "Bulgaria roundly condemns Istanbul suicide terror attack". FOCUS Information Agency. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
15. "Colombia expresa su enérgica condena frente al atentado terrorista ocurrido en Ankara (Turquía)". cancilleria.gov.co. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
16. "France says Istanbul attack 'despicable and cowardly'". Retrieved 2016-03-19.
17. "PM Kvirikashvili condemns Istanbul terror attack". agenda.ge. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
18. "Greece condemns terrorist attack in Istanbul, voices solidarity with Turkish people". Retrieved 2016-03-19.
19. "Iran FM condemns 'inhumane' bomb blast in Turkey's Istanbul". PressTV. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
20. "Bomb attack in Istanbul". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
21. "Pakistan condemns Turkey blasts". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
22. "World leaders condemn Istanbul terror attack". Hürriyet. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
23. "MFA Spokesman's Comments on the suicide bombing in Istanbul, 19 March 2016". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
24. "Attacks in Istanbul". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Spain). Retrieved 22 March 2016.
25. "International community condemns Istanbul terror attack on civilians". Retrieved 2016-03-19.
26. "LOCAL - NATO in solidarity with Turkey after Istanbul attack". Retrieved 2016-03-21.
27. Section, United Nations News Service (2016-03-19). "UN News - UN chief condemns deadly Istanbul attack as 'appalling violence'". UN News Service Section. Retrieved 2016-03-20.