Egypt condemned a suicide attack in Turkey that left 30 dead and injured tens, and called for a strong global stance against terrorism.
(DNE Photo)
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Egypt condemns “all terrorist attacks targeting innocents in all parts of the world”, according to a ministry spokesperson’s statement.
A blast in the southern city of Suruc, close to the border with Syria, killed activists who were planning to travel to the Syrian city of Kobani in a bid to help rebuild the war-torn city.
The attack, believed to have been carried out by the Islamic State, triggered protests in the Turkish capital Istanbul as protesters accused President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government of falling short in protecting citizens and preventing such attacks.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry reasserted the necessity of having a “stern and clear” international stand to defeat terrorism and dry out its resources.
The relations between Egypt and Turkey have deteriorated since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood government in July 2013.
In the ensuing crackdown on the Brotherhood following President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s rise to power, Turkey has emerged as a sympathiser to the now outlawed group, with the two countries exchanging accusations.
The strained relations, however, did not prevent Turkey from condemning similar attacks in Egypt, especially in North Sinai, where radical Islamist militants have been targeting military personnel and facilities since the Brotherhood’s ouster.
