International community condemns Ankara attack

ANKARA

Members of the international community, including world powers like the United States and Russia and inter-governmental organizations like the United Nations, have stood beside Turkey and condemned the third major terrorist attack to hit the country’s capital over the past six months. 

U.S. State Department Spokesman John Kirby conveyed condolences to the families of those killed on March 13 and wished a quick recovery to the wounded.

“We reaffirm our strong partnership with our NATO ally Turkey in combating the shared threat of terrorism,” he said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron personally extended his condolences to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu over the attack. 

Cameron called Davutoğlu and expressed his country’s solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terror, sources from the Turkish Prime Minister’s Office told state-run Anadolu Agency on March 14. 

Davutoğlu reportedly emphasized the importance of the allies’ support in the fight against terror and said Turkey will continue its cooperation with Britain within this context.

Earlier on the night of March 13 after the attack, Cameron said he was “appalled” by the atrocity that took place in the heart of Ankara. “My thoughts are with all those affected,” he tweeted.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass said in a tweet that he was “deeply saddened and horrified by the attack in Ankara.” 

“We extend our deepest condolences to victims and their families,” he said. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin also condemned the attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said March 13.

“Vladimir Putin condemns the brutal terrorist attack in Ankara… The Russian president mourns together with all the Turkish people, who suffered another terrorist attack, in connection with numerous human victims,” Peskov told reporters.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “appalled.” 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault described it as a “cowardly attack.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the bombing in Ankara and sent his “heartfelt condolences” to the victims’ families. 

“The United Nations continues to support and stand in solidarity with the people and the government of Turkey at this trying time,” the official statement said. 

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who recently visited the Aegean province of İzmir to hold a meeting with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, has called his Turkish counterpart and expressed solidarity on behalf of the Greek government and the people of Greece. 

The Greek foreign ministry also released a statement on its official website, stating it “vehemently condemned” the bombing “regardless of its source.”

The Vatican released an official statement on behalf of Pope Francis, saying the pope was praying for the “eternal rest of the deceased and the quick recovery of the wounded and the mourning.”

In the message addressed to Erdoğan, the Vatican also said the pope was praying for the “peace, recovery and the strengthening of the Turkish nation.”

Turkey’s eastern neighbor Iran released a statement by its foreign ministry spokesperson, Hossein Jaber Ansari, saying the country shared the pain of the Turkish people and state while condemning the terrorist attack. 

Armenian spokesperson Tigran Balayan extended his condolences via Twitter, saying the country “deplores the victims of [the] Ankara explosion,” in a tweet shared on March 13. 

The government of Spain also expressed solidarity with Turkish officials in their “fight against terror.”
“Spain expresses its belief that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought before justice shortly,” the statement said. 

Gulf countries, including Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, released messages condemning the attack while Jordan expressed support to Turkey’s fight against terror.

“We condemn this criminal act, which contradicts humanitarian values and monotheistic religions, that killed innocent people,” the Qatari foreign ministry said. 

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a message of condolence to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, underlining the attack was unacceptable. 

“We were saddened to learn about the terror attack in Ankara, which is incompatible with any human or ethical values,” Salman said, stressing his country “forcefully condemned the attack.”