Obama offers condolences to Turkey leader over terror attacks

WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse

REUTERS photo

US President Barack Obama offered his condolences Oct. 10 to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after terror attacks at a peace rally there killed at least 95 people and wounded more than 200.

"The president conveyed his deepest personal sympathies for those killed and injured in these heinous attacks, and affirmed that the American people stand in solidarity with the people of Turkey in the fight against terrorism and shared security challenges in the region," the White House said in a statement.
 
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu, to express his condolences over the "horrific terrorist attack," a statement from his office read.
 
"The secretary underscored our condemnation of the senseless violence and continued commitment to work with our NATO ally Turkey to counter terrorism in all forms," the State Department said.
 
The twin bombings -- the deadliest attack in modern Turkish history -- were set off by suspected suicide attackers in a crowd of leftist and pro-Kurdish activists at an anti-government peace rally.
 
The attacks, near Ankara's main train station, left bodies of dead demonstrators strewn across the ground.
 
The bombings also wounded 246 people, dozens of whom were hospitalized in intensive care, according to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's office.