Turkish officials condemn Boston attacks, express solidarity with US

ANKARA/KONYA - Anatolia News Agency

Three died and 176 were injured after two successive blasts hit Boston Marathon April 15. AFP photo

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned on April 16 the deadly blasts at the previous day’s Boston Marathon in a letter conveyed to U.S. President Barack Obama, Turkish Prime Ministry sources told Anatolia news agency. 

“Every single life lost due to attacks of violence leaves a deep scar on the collective conscience and memory of humanity,” Erdoğan wrote in his message, adding that the attacks not only targeted Americans but also peace.
 
Erdoğan also expressed his condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and to the people of the United States on behalf of the Turkish people.
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who was participating in several events in his constituency of Konya, also condemned the attacks in Boston, in which at least three people were killed and more than 100 wounded.

“I conveyed our condolences just a while ago by sending a message to my estimated counterpart [U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry]. We share the American people’s grief. We would like express our solidarity in the fight against terrorism,” Davutoğlu said.
 
Turkish EU minister Egemen Bağış also strongly condemned the attacks during an event in Istanbul.

Explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon April 15 killed three people and wounded more than 170 more, many of them critically.