Dozens killed after devastating bombings in Turkish capital

A peace march in the Turkish capital of Ankara was torn apart by two bombs on Saturday in what is being called the worst terrorist attack in the country’s history.

So far, 86 people have been reported killed by the blasts, which targeted a march calling for an end to fighting between the Turkish government and Kurdish rebels. It was not immediately known who might be responsible for the attacks, though the Turkish prime minister said that there were “strong signs” suicide bombers might have set off the bombs.

The moment of the explosions was captured on video:


There were multiple reports of police attempting to block ambulances from reaching the scene.

The attacks come as political tensions are running at a high in Turkey. The country is set to conduct its second general election of the year on Nov. 1. The last election saw the ruling Justice and Development Party lose its parliamentary majority, as the leftist and pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party made significant gains. At the same time, Turkey began escalating its military campaign against ISIS fighters on its border with Syria. Then, violence between the Turkish government and the Kurdish militant group the PKK flared up again. According to the New York Times, critics of the government have accused it of heightening the conflict with the PKK as a way to drive its supporters to the polls.

Below, see some of the harrowing scenes from the aftermath of the attacks.

 
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