Mother of four jumped on suicide bomber before blast: witnesses

BİNGÖL - Anatolia News Agency

A victim of yesterday's suicide bombing in Turkey's southeast reportedly jumped on the bomber before the blast, saving lives.

Hatice Belgin, mother of four, was shopping with three of her children when she noticed the suicide bomber, according to witnesses.

"She sacrificed herself to save her kids," one witness said, noting that Belgin saw the bomber trying to detonate the explosives she was wearing, and jumped on her to protect her kids.

Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz visited Belgin's three children in hospital and said security personnel were investigating the blast and they did not yet know if Belgin knocked the suicide bomber over on purpose or by accident.

"Nevertheless, this lady has saved lots of people's lives," Yılmaz said.

A female suicide bomber, suspected to be a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), detonated explosives strapped to her body on a busy main street in the southeastern Bingöl province yesterday, killing herself, Hatice Belgin and Mehmet Çibuk and injuring 21 people.

The assailant has yet to be identified.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.