Stories of Those Who Lost Their Lives in Explosion in Kızılay of Ankara

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According to the latest official statement, 37 have lost their lives in the bomb attack in Kızılay downtown of Turkey’s capital of Ankara, the most crowded and busy location of the city where millions use also as thoroughfare to reach other locations.

State-run Anadolu News Agency (AA) has announced, that 24 of the 35 bodies kept in Forensic Medicine Institution have been delivered to their families after completing of autopsy procedures.

According to the information acquired from the news, institutions and the loved ones of the those who have lost their lives, their names and stories are as follows:  

Muharrem Çermik, Bağdat Çermik, Perihan Çermik 

Muharrem Çermik from Divriği district of Sivas province, his wife Bağdat Çermik and their daughter Perihan Çermik had visited their relatives in Tuzluçayır district.

They have lost their lives in the bomb attack while waiting for the bus in Kızılay to get to their home in Balgat after their visit.

Berkay Baş

Berkay Baş was a first grade student at Middle East Technical University Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

He has been buried on March 14 Polatlı town of Ankara.

Ozancan Akkuş

Ozancan Akkuş (Left) with Ali Deniz Uzatmaz (right) who had lost his life at the peace rally on October 10, 2015

Ozancan Akkuş was student at the English Language Preparatory School of Middle East Technical University, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department. He had lost his friend Ali Deniz Uzatmaz at the explosion in the Ankara peace rally on October 10, 2015. After Ozancan has lost his life, this picture showing the two friends laughing together has been shared.

Destina Peri Parlak

16 year-old Destina Peri Parlak was a 10th grade student at Aydancı Anatolian High School. The picture shared on social media before the attack shows her sitting at a caffee.  

Elvin Buğra Arslan

In their condolences message published at their website, ANKA Institute has announced their young member losing his life in the attack.

According to the information of the institute, Elvin Buğra Arslan was born on November 23, 1996 in Ankara. He has graduated primary and secondary education in Ankara and high school in Gazi Çiftliği High School. In 2004 he started his bachelor degree in Çankaya University International Commerce. Following his foreign language education lasting one year, he was continuing the first year of his education at the time of the attack. He started taking an amateur interest in music in his high school years. He had first played basketball in Fenerbahçe Sports Club Youth Team then football in Gençlerbirliği SC youth team. He had an interest in philosophy, history and mythology and made many researches on these fields.

Mehmet Yurtsever

Mehmet Yurtsever was the former district head of Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Keçiören district of Ankara. He had been waiting at the shared taxi station at Güvenpark to get to his home in Balgat after an activity organized by CHP.

Kemal Bulut

Kemal Bulut the father football player Umut Bulut at Galatasaray SC. He had visited the football team in the hotel where they had been staying during camp before their match with Gençlerbirliği in Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium and he had also watched the game on the tribunes.  

Zeynep Başak Gülsoy ve Nüsrettin Can Çalkınsın 

Zeynep Başak Gülsoy and Nüsrettin Can Çalkınsın were law faculty students who were lovers. The couple was waiting for the bus to arrive in front of Güvenpark while returning home.

Nüsrettin Can Çalkınsın was a first-year student at Gazi University Law Faculty. His funeral ceremony will take place in Karşıyaka Cemetery on March 15, 2016 following the noon prayer in Hacı Bayram Mosque in Ankara.

Feyza Acısu

20 year old Feyza Acısu was a fourth grade student at Ankara Gazi University, Training Faculty Foreign Languages Department English Language Education Department.

Her beloved ones have reported that she had been waiting on the bus station to get home after a course. Her funeral ceremony took place in Karşıyaka Cemetery on March 15, 2016 following the noon prayer in Karşıyaka Mosque in Ankara.

Mehmet Emre Çakar

High school student Mehmet Emre Çakar was 16 years old. He was waiting for the bus to get to his home in Balgat as the explosion occurred.

Çakar was supposed to have a liver transplantation from his father the following days. He and his two sisters were liver patients and the family had moved to Ankara from Kütahya for their children’s treatment.

Elif Gizem Akkaya

University student Elif Gizem Akkaya from Giresun had lived with her family in Ankara.

Her body will be sent to Giresun to be buried in Keşap district.

Turgay Bulut

Turgay Bulut who was registered in Haymana town of Ankara had worked as a taxi driver. His funeral was held in Haymana on March 14.

Dorukhan Yusuf Özdemir

Dorukhan Yusuf Özdemir was the captain of Ankara Altınel Sports Club Youth Basketball Team.

Turkey Basketball Federation has made a statement on Özdemir’s death and announced that his funeral will be held in Ankara Karşıyaka Cemetery after the noon prayer on March 15.

Eyüp Ensar Ulaş 

Eyüp Ensar Ulaş who had lived in Bezirhane neighbourhood 40 km away from Gölbaşı district of Ankara and worked at the tea house managed by his relative Cahit Vural, had got on the bus to get to his home in Balgat after work.  

The married father of two has lost his life in the bus over detonation of the vehicle loaded with explosives on Atatürk Boulevard in front of Güvenpark.

His funeral will be held in Bezirhane neighbourhood.

Kerim Sağlam

23-year old Kerim Sağlam was a student at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Education Psychological Counseling and Guidance. His mother who was living in Turhal district of Tokat province had visited her daughter Pınar Sağlam living in Ankara. And Kerim Sağlam was waiting on the bus station in Kızılay to go to his sister who lived in Sincan district.

Nevzat Alagöz

42 year-old Nevzat Alagöz born in Iğdır was a police officer.

Alagöz, father of two, had been on duty on Gençlerbirliği-Galatasaray match in Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium and has lost his life while trying to get home after the game.

Alagöz’s funeral will been held on March 15 in Karakoyunlu district of Iğdır.

Murat Gül

26 year-old Murat Gül was a private security guard in Undersecretariat of Treasury. He had been waiting on the bus station to get to his home in Etlik after working overtime.  

He has been buried in Karşıyaka Cemetery after the funeral ceremony opened in Ankara Karşıyaka Mosque on March 14.  

Atakan Eray Özyol

Atakan Eray Özyol who has lost his live in the explosion in Ankara was 15 years old.

The body of Özyol who had been visiting Gölbaşı Doktor Şerafettin Tombuloğlu Anadolu High School has been delivered to Ankara Keçiören Forensic Medicine Institution.

Hamide Sibel Çetinkaya

Hamide Sibel Çetinkaya had been working for the information center of Ministry of National Education Press and Public Information Consultancy.

 She had lost his husband three years ago. 55 year-old mother of two girls was returning home from visiting her mother in Cebeci.  She wanted to get on the minibus to get home after getting out from the subway in Kızılay.  

Minister of National Education Nabi Evcı has also attended her funeral held in Ankara Karşıyaka Mosque on March 14 following which her body has been buried in Karşıyaka Cemetery.

Mehmet Alan

26 year-old Mehmet Alan who had been registered in Sultanhanı town of Aksaray province had worked at the Natural History Museum subordinated to Mineral Research and Exploration General Directorate.

Oğuzhan Dura

Oğuzhan Dura had been working as the Chief Supervisor of General Directorate of Foundations.  

Vice Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan in his statement on his twitter account has noted: “Oğuzhan Dura working as the Chief Supervisor of General Directorate of Foundations has lost his life. God may rest his soul.     

Erdem Soydan

Erdem soydan had been on taxi as the explosion accurred.

Kemal Kalıç

The body of Retired Specialized Sergeant Kemal Kalış has been taken to Hasandede village subordinated to Kırıkkale province following the autopsy procedures in Ankara Forensic Medicine Institution.

Following the funeral prayer at noon in Hasandede Mosque, his body has been buried in the village cemetery.

Taner Kılıç

The body of Taner Kılıç who has lost his life in the explosion while working as a tea maker in an office has been delivered to Ali Şeyhli village subordinated to the Sulakyurt district of Kırıkkale province.

Sümeyra Çakmak

22 year-old Sümeyra Çakmak was a graduate of Fatih University Chemistry Faculty. She was taking her masters degree. The explosion has occurred while she was waiting on the bus station to get to a course.

Her family living in Ereğli district of Zonguldak have arrived in Ankara for the identification of her body which will be delivered to Bayburt province to get buried.

Ferah Önder

Ferah Önder was an engineer working for the head of Department for General Directorate of Agricultural Reform Administrative Affairs and Coordination Department.

Cemal Özdiker

Cemal Özkider was 58 years old. The explosion has occurred while he was waiting on the bus station.

Yaşar Durakoğlu

Yaşar Durakoğlu was 69 years old. He was a Vice Principal at Ankara Bahçelievler Deneme High School. He was also an arts history teacher.

Ayşe Bilgilioğlu

Ayşe Bilgilioğlu was from Sivas. She had been on the explosion scene with her husband who was taken to hospital. It has been reported on social media that she had lost her life after she had been reported missing by her acquaintances.

(BK/EKN/DG)

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* We could reach information on 32 of the victims of the explosion. We are continuing to update the document which is open for your contributions.

** The resources we have use for this report are: Radikal news website, Hürriyet daily , Cumhuriyet daily, ODTÜ University, Gazi University, Anadolu News Agency, Anka Institute, General Directorate of Agricultural Reform, Sözcü daily, Twitter, Facebook, Doğan News Agency