Activist wounded at Suruç massacre passes away, raising death toll to 33

ISTANBUL

The death toll of the deadly bombing in Turkey’s southeastern district of Suruç has risen to 33, including the suicide bomber, after young activist Vatan Budak passed away early on Aug. 4. 

Budak was staying at the Amara Culture Center, along with at least 300 members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), where 31 activists had been killed by a suicide bomb attack on July 20. 

The activists were in Suruç in order to help rebuild the Syrian town of Kobane across the Turkish border, demolished after assaults by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). 

Vatan was heavily wounded after the attack and had been receiving treatment for the past 16 days at a hospital in southeastern Şanlıurfa province. 

His death was made public by the SGDF’s Twitter account, which extended condolences to family and friends.

“We have lost another loved one. #VatanBudak, who was seriously injured at Suruç, passed away. Sorry for the loss of our family and friends,” the post read.

Vatan will be laid to rest at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 4, from the Yenidoğan Mosque in Istanbul’s Gaziosmanpaşa district.