VOA News 23 June 2010
Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency says police have detained 27 people for questioning about Tuesday's bomb attack that killed four soldiers and a teenage daughter of an officer in Istanbul. It was not made clear Wednesday whether any of those detained were suspects in the bombing, which targeted a bus carrying soldiers and their families.
The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons have claimed responsibility for
detonating the remote-controlled roadside bomb as the bus was traveling in Istanbul's Halkali district, home to a military housing complex. The group is an offshoot of the autonomy-seeking Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.
Turkish officials have called the attack an act of terrorism.
At a summit of southeastern European nations in Istanbul Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused European nations of insufficient cooperation with Turkey in its fight against Kurdish militants. Ankara claims much of the PKK's funds come from Kurds living in Europe.
Tuesday's blast and other attacks by Kurdish rebels have killed 17 Turkish soldiers recently. On Monday, Turkey began a major operation against Kurdish rebels along the Turkish-Iraqi border in response to the attacks.
Turkish officials have called the attack an act of terrorism.
At a summit of southeastern European nations in Istanbul Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused European nations of insufficient cooperation with Turkey in its fight against Kurdish militants. Ankara claims much of the PKK's funds come from Kurds living in Europe.
Tuesday's blast and other attacks by Kurdish rebels have killed 17 Turkish soldiers recently. On Monday, Turkey began a major operation against Kurdish rebels along the Turkish-Iraqi border in response to the attacks.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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