In a small Turkish town, across the border from Kobani, a group of young Kurdish demonstrators gathered on Monday morning to declare support for the displaced refugees from Kobani. As the students rallied and prepared for a press conference outside the local cultural center, a large explosion rocked the air.
Remembering the Students
The Suruç bombing has claimed the lives of over thirty students, and has injured over 100 more. A large majority of the victims were Kurds, many of whom had come to Suruç from all corners of the Kurdish region. Since the attack on Monday morning, the families of the bombing victims have rushed to Suruç, and the survivors of the attack have been treated in local hospitals.
The students who passed away on Monday were arranging a trip to Kobani, where they were planning to deliver a shipment of toys, plant a memorial forest, and build a new library and playground for children and families.
Suruç Bombing Investigation
Early evidence points to a suicide bombing, and Turkish authorities have claimed to have identified one suspect who may have carried out the attack, but forensic evidence from the bomb site has not been released to the public.
As of Tuesday, neither ISIS nor any other terror group has claimed responsibility for the brutal attack.
Across the Border from Kobani
Suruç is located across the border from Kobani, a Syrian town that suffered from an ISIS siege during mid- to late-2014. Since the start of the conflict in Kobani, Suruç has ballooned to accommodate 35,000 refugees — one of the largest refugee populations in Turkey.
Since ISIS was kicked out of Kobani in December 2014, the rebuilding of Kobani has become a rallying point for the international community. Earlier this year, Rome has declared Kobani to be a sister city, and Kurdish delegations from Syria have recruited support from several European nations.
[Read more at the Daily Mail]
