Bomb Blast Kills Eight, Injures 61 in Gaziantep

An explosion that took place near the Karşıyaka Police Station in the southeastern province of Gaziantep killed eight people and injured 61 at around 20:00 on Monday.

The blast occured after someone detonated the explosives loaded inside a vehicle, Gaziantep Governor Erdal Ata told the broadcasting station NTV.

The victims of the blast were passengers inside a nearby automobile and a minibus, according to reports.

Two buses also caught fire in consequence of the explosion, while other vehicles in close vicinity were also damaged, and the glass windows of some houses and shops were also shattered by the blast. Officials also called in doctors who were on vacation for the Ramadan holiday due to the large number of injuries.

Rioting mobs attack BDP offices

A crowd began to gather in the area following the explosion and subsequently attacked the Peace and Democracy Party's (BDP) Şehitkamil District and Gaziantep Provincial offices. Authorities dispatched police and firefighters to the scene.

Reports indicate that the crowd started marching while carrying Turkish flags and chanting slogans.

Meanwhile, Ömer Çelik, the deputy leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP,) said the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) had begun directly targeting the people.

"We are going through a tragic incident all together," Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Şahin also commented during a press meeting at the Gaziantep Police Headquarters.

The AKP's deputy leader Hüseyin Çelik further added that there was also a child among the victims of the blast. (HK/ÇT/AS)

*Photography by Serdar Akinan