Turkey strongly condemns Barcelona terror attack

ANKARA

REUTERS photo

Turkey has strongly condemned the terror attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and dozens of others injured on Aug. 17.       

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered condolences to the Spanish king on Aug. 17 following the attack.

“I strongly condemn the attack that showed the brutal face of terrorism once again and targeted the shared values of the whole humanity not just Spain,” he said.    
 
Erdoğan conveyed words of sympathy to the Spanish people and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.      

The Turkish president sent a condolence letter to the Spanish King Phelipe VI, according to a confidential presidential source.   
     
“We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack perpetrated in Barcelona today,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.   
    
“We extend our deepest condolences and wish fortitude to the families of those who lost their lives and speedy recovery to those wounded in these heinous attacks, which display once again the brutal face of terrorism and target all humanity. We reiterate our resolve to maintain solidarity with Spain, which is a friend and an ally of Turkey, and to provide all kinds of support to this end,” it added.    

According to Spanish media, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack that involved a van ploughing into people at Las Ramblas, a street in central Barcelona popular with both tourists and locals. 

“We found out about the abominable attacks in Barcelona in deep sorrow,” Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said in a separate statement.      
  
“We condemn these attacks that target our humanity and universal values vehemently. We wholeheartedly share the grief of friendly nation Spain, and offer our sincerest condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives, and wish the wounded a quick recovery. We will continue to be in solidarity and unity with our friend and ally Spain in fighting terror,” he added.         

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ also condemned the attack on Twitter, saying, “We send our condolences to those who lost their lives and their families, and to the people and government of Spain.”        
“We wish the ones wounded in the abominable terror attack a quick recovery,” he added. 
      
“Turkey is always in solidarity and cooperation with Spain against terror. Terror is a common enemy of all people and countries, regardless of who does it or who it is against,” Bozdağ reiterated.      

“We strongly condemn the terror attack in Barcelona, the ones who did the attack, ones who commanded the attack, and everyone who supports this,” he added.