Ankara twin blasts: 86 dead, 186 injured

The attack, near Ankara’s main train station, was the deadliest in the city’s history and has ratcheted up tensions ahead of Turkey’s November 1 snap elections, which were already riding high amid the government’s offensive on Kurdish militants.

Bodies of the slain activists were seen strewn across the ground after the blasts, with the banners they had been holding lying next to them for the “Work, Peace and Democracy” rally.

Sixty-two people died at the scene of the blasts and 24 more succumbed to their wounds in hospital, Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu told reporters in Ankara. He said another 186 people had been injured in the attack.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the “heinous attack”, saying it was aimed at “our unity and our country’s peace.” A Turkish government official said the authorities “suspect that there is a terrorist connection,” without giving further details. Reports said they were investigating if a suicide bomber was involved. There were scenes of chaos after the blasts, as ambulances raced to get to the wounded and police cordoned off the area around the train station.

“We heard one huge blast and then one smaller explosion and then there <g data-gr-id="42">was</g> a great movement and panic. Then we saw corpses around the station,” said Ahmet <g data-gr-id="41">Onen</g>, 52. “A demonstration that was to promote peace has turned into a massacre, I don’t understand this,” he said, sobbing.

Turkish police fired in the air to disperse demonstrators angered by the deaths of their fellow activists from the scene. Amateur footage broadcast by NTV television showed smiling activists holding hands and dancing and then suddenly falling to the ground as a huge explosion went off behind them. Initial reports spoke of a single <g data-gr-id="45">explosion</g> but Turkish media said later there had been two separate blasts in short sequence.

Reports said that hundreds of people in Ankara had rushed to <g data-gr-id="43">hospital</g> to donate blood for the victims. With international concern growing over instability in the key NATO member, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged Turkey to “stand united against terrorists.”

French President Francois Hollande condemned the “odious terrorist attack” while Russian President Vladimir Putin passed his condolences to Erdogan.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was hosting a meeting of top officials, including powerful spy chief Hakan Fidan, in the early afternoon to discuss the attack. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) was to have been one of <g data-gr-id="39">several</g> groups that were to have taken part in the pro-peace protest.

The attack comes with Turkey on edge ahead of November 1 polls and a wave of unrest over the past few months.