There was a stir in Turkey after the blast in Istanbul. The government immediately swung into action. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately took the lead and called it a terrorist attack.
Turkey the economic capital of Istanbul The terrorist attack on Sunday has raised many questions. Due to this, there is a possibility of opening a new chapter of terror in Turkey as well as in Europe. In fact, such a blast has happened in a big city of Turkey after many years. It is being seen as a conspiracy to take Europe in the grip of terrorism through Turkey. After this attack, there is also a possibility of increasing Islamic fundamentalism in Turkey and Europe. This terrorist incident is also being seen as an alarm.
In Istanbul on Sunday afternoon, there was a massive explosion at the pedestrian tourist route Istiklal Pass Taksim intersection. In this, six people died and more than 80 people were injured. The condition of many is said to be serious. A woman carried out this attack. This is the first time a woman has carried out a bomb blast in Turkey. According to media reports, the attacker allegedly dropped a bag full of explosives in the middle of a road full of civilians. A few minutes after he left, there was an explosion. The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. No organization has claimed responsibility for this. However, ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombings in Turkey in 2015 and 2017. According to the Turkish government, the pattern of the attack and the investigation show that it was a terrorist attack.
What does the Turkish government have to say?
There was a stir in Turkey after the blast in Istanbul. The government immediately swung into action. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately took the lead and called it a terrorist attack. Giving information about the people killed and injured in the attack, he assured the people of his country to expose the conspiracy behind the attack and get the culprits punished soon. Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said, we consider it a terrorist act, which was carried out by a criminal. It is true that after many years a major terrorist attack has taken place in Turkey. Although such explosions are happening continuously in Turkey since last years. About 400 people have lost their lives and 1000 have been injured in such blasts between 2015 and 2017. In view of this, the concern of Turkey as well as Europe has increased.
Kurds behind the attack?
According to Turkish media reports, Kurds may be behind this attack. The enmity between Turkish and Kurdish fighters is very old. This enmity is more than 100 years old. It is also being told that the terrorist organization Taskim may be behind this attack. Since no organization has yet taken responsibility for this, nothing can be said for sure. The needle of suspicion is turning towards this organization because it is a staunch supporter of a separate country for the Kurds and has been demanding for years to separate the Kurdish-dominated areas from Turkey. This organization has a lot of influence in the Kurdish-dominated areas of Turkey bordering Iraq. It is also said to have links with pro-Kurdistan organizations in Iraq. It is said to be involved in many attacks in Turkey earlier.
Who are the Kurds?
Kurds are spread over many West Asian countries. It is the largest such group in the world which does not have any country. It is said that their population is around 3.5 crores. Large populations of Kurds live in Iraq, Syria and Turkey. When the Ottoman Empire disintegrated after World War I, the dead were promised a separate country. However, this agreement was soon canceled. Since then, the Kurds have been fighting for their separate country. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Kurds sided with the US against Saddam Hussein. Later the US declared Kurdish territory in Iraq in 2005. A regional government was also formed in it. But the Kurds are not satisfied with this. They want a separate country. The US used the Kurds against Iraq but did not support their demand for a separate country on any global forum.
Kurdish movement in Turkey
Kurds in Turkey have also been fighting for a long time. The Kurdish population here is about 20 percent. Kurds were repressed here after the First World War. After this, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party came into existence in 1980. It is also known as PKK. This started a political struggle to separate the Kurdish-dominated areas of Turkey from Turkey and make them part of a separate country. Initially this struggle was peaceful but later it took a violent form. The Kurds took up arms. After this talks were held with the government and in 2013 an agreement was reached on ceasefire. However, in 2015, the agreement was violated. This organization was declared a terrorist organization by the Turkish government. Despite this, the fire of the Kurdish movement in Turkey did not cool down. Kurds carried out violent incidents in Turkey. That’s why the latest attacks are being linked to the Kurdish movement.
Is the terrorist incident related to Islamic fundamentalism?
So far the name of any Islamic organization has not come to the fore in the investigation of the attack in Turkey. The hand of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party is being told behind this. According to media reports coming from Turkey, three people have carried out the attack. According to Turkey’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, a suspect responsible for the attack has been arrested by the police. He has accused the Kurdistan Workers’ Party of being behind the bomb blast. According to media reports, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party is being held responsible for the attack only after questioning the suspect. However, in the last few years, Islamic sectarianism has increased in Turkey. Turkey’s current President Erdogan has emerged as a major Muslim leader globally. It is alleged that Islamic fundamentalism has increased in Turkey after he became President, but the possibility of Islamic fundamentalism behind this attack is being denied.
Can Islamic fundamentalism increase after the attack?
Islamic fundamentalists may not have had a hand in the bomb blasts in Istanbul, but after this attack, there is a possibility of promoting Islamic fundamentalism in Turkey and Europe. The biggest reason for this is that in the name of Islam, there is a tremendous tug of war going on between Turkey and France. Turkish President is promoting Islamic fundamentalism. For the last few years, Islamic symbols are being opposed in France. The French government has taken many such decisions which have angered the Muslims there. Expressing objection to these decisions, Erdogan has advocated for the Muslims. Many Muslims of France have left their country and taken refuge in Turkey. Turkey accuses France of spreading Islamic phobia across Europe. Because of this stand against France on Islam, Turkey is becoming a center of attraction for Muslims around the world.
Generally, if there is a terrorist incident anywhere in the world, then there is a possibility of increasing Islamic fundamentalism after that. The same is happening even after this terrorist attack in Turkey. But behind this incident, not the hand of Islamic organizations but the hand of Kurdish organizations is being told. Therefore, it can be said that this will not encourage Islamic fundamentalism. But it is also true that many organizations are carrying out terrorist incidents in the name of Islam all over the world. On the pretext of this incident, they can try to lure Muslim youth to the path of terror. Its possibilities remain. Therefore, this danger cannot be denied at the moment.
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