Turkey Holds Three Russians in Wake of Istanbul Terror Bombing

The Islamic State suicide bomber who killed ten foreign tourists in the centre of Istanbul yesterday was a Syrian national born in Saudi Arabia, authorities in the Gulf state have confirmed. “Right now unfortunately there is such a barrier”, Davutoglu said.

“By bringing the war to Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, ISIS also aims to preemptively undercut Turkish-US cooperation against that group, which was meant to start in a matter of weeks following Biden’s visit to Turkey on January 23”, Cagaptay said.

The reports did not make clear if there was any link to Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Sultanahmet Square in central Istanbul, which the authorities said was carried out by an IS jihadist who came from Syria.

Russia began sanctions on Turkey after the Turkish military shot down a Russian jet flying over its territory. We need to stand in global solidarity.

Security officials said there was a high probability IS militants were responsible.

“They’re attacking Turkish interests and those linked to the state rather than Kurdish nationalism that would operate underneath the state”, Stein said.

In southeastern Sanliurfa province, security forces detained 21 people on Tuesday in raids conducted at 22 different addresses. Police said that fortunately it had not been densely packed at the time.

“I still have to go to the Blue Mosque and the old Turkish Bazaar…”

Erdem Koroglu, who was working at a nearby office, told NTV television he saw several people on the ground following the blast.

Turkey has rounded up hundreds of suspected Islamic State members since launching what it called a “synchronised war on terror” last July, raids which continued on Wednesday.

Turkish police have detained three Russian nationals suspected of links with Islamic State following a suicide bomb attack in Istanbul that killed 10 tourists, according to the Doğan news agency.

“The Russian consulate general in Antalya confirms the fact of the detention of three citizens of the Russian Federation”.

Anadolu said the suspects were allegedly in contact with IS fighters in conflict zones and had provided logistical support to the group.

Turkey has faced criticism at home and overseas for failing to do more to fight Islamic State networks, but Ala, the interior minister, defended Turkey’s record, saying 200 suspects had been detained just a week before the Istanbul blast.

If Erdogan sounds defensive, it’s because many Turks hold him personally responsible for what they see as blowback from both the PKK and Islamic State.