Turkey 'Identifies Suruc Suicide Bombing Suspect'
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Turkish authorities have identified a suspect over Monday's suicide bombing close to the country's border with Syria, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.
Davutoglu did not give the name of the suspect, but said there was a high probability the attack was caused by a suicide bomber with connections to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
"One suspect has been identified. All the (suspect's) links internationally and domestically are being investigated," he said on Tuesday, AFP reported.
"We expect this investigation to be concluded as soon as possible."
Davutoglu said that the death toll had risen to 32 from 31, adding that 29 victims were still hospitalized.
On Tuesday, a video footage emerged of the moment a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a protest in Suruc on Monday.
The attack targeted a group of mostly university-aged students from an activist group as they gathered to make a statement to the local press about a trip they were planning to help rebuild Kobane in Syria.
The footage showed young men and women from the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations standing behind a banner declaring support for Kobane, some holding up small red flags. Suddenly there was a huge explosion, apparently from within the crowd, sending up a column of flame.
ISIL has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Kobane was the site of one of the biggest battles against ISIL last year and was secured by Syrian Kurdish fighters after repeated assaults.
The students intended to build a library, plant a forest and build a playground in Kobane, a member of the group wounded in the blast, told the Reuters news agency.
Turkey's Kurds have been enraged by what they see as the AKP party government's failure to do more to stop ISIL. The PKK held Ankara responsible for Monday's attack, saying it had "supported and cultivated" ISIL against the Kurds.
On Monday, Davutoglu pledged that the government would increase security measures along the Syrian-Turkish border.
"But our citizens should consider that countries experiencing tension, instability and clashes in the region could turn out to affect Turkey's inner peace," he said.
Turkey's leaders have said they do not plan any unilateral military incursion into Syria.