The suicide bomber in a Turkish wedding party attack that killed dozens of people was between 12 and 14 years old, Turkey’s president announced Sunday, blaming the Islamic State terror group for the massacre.
(FOX)- Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke in a live nationally-televised address in front of Istanbul city Hall. At least 50 people were killed and dozens of others wounded in the attack late Saturday in the southeastern city of Gaziantep.
Erdogan added that there was “absolutely no difference” between ISIS, Kurdish rebels and the movement behind the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, calling them terrorists.
The remains of a suicide vest have been recovered at the site, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency, citing a statement by the chief public prosecutor’s office.
Turkey has been the target of attacks in the past year that have been claimed by Kurdish militants linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or were blamed on ISIS. In June, suspected Islamic State militants attacked Istanbul’s main airport with guns and bombs, killing 44 people. A dual suicide bombing blamed on ISIS at a peace rally in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, in October killed 103 victims.
Earlier this week, a string of bombings blamed on the PKK that targeted police and soldiers killed at least a dozen people. A fragile, 2 ½ year-long peace process between the PKK and the government collapsed last year, leading to a resumption of the three-decade-long conflict.