A depraved attack in Ankara

The worst attack in modern Turkish history shows how low terrorists will sink

An injured person is caried away following a blast at a peace rally in Ankara on Friday (AFP PHOTO / ADEM ALTAN)

Depravity is the right word. The targeting of young men and women at a peace rally in Turkey’s capital city is a shocking indictment of the ideas that motivate terrorists. What ideology could push the two suicide bombers to carry out their vicious attack, in the middle of the capital and the middle of a crowd of people dancing and chanting peaceful slogans?

The symbolism is telling, both for how skewed the perception of these terrorists is, and for their true intention. Because if they sought to make a political point, then mass murder of innocent men and women at a peace rally is in every way the wrong call. That they believed their targets were legitimate speaks volumes.

For now, we don’t know the ideology, but we can take a reasonable guess: ISIL. Everything about the operation speaks of their nihilistic vision of the world and their desire to spread chaos. There were also similarities with the suicide bomb attack in July in Suruc on the Turkish-Syrian border.

Regardless of who carried out the attack, there will be a political reckoning. The attack, the death toll from which is now being revised upwards of 100, is the worst in modern Turkish history. Already anger is turning on to the government, which is campaigning ahead of a crucial election. Thousands of people gathered yesterday to mourn those killed in the attack and to show their anger and frustration.

The Turkish government is facing a tense and difficult situation. The Nato member country is right on the border of the territory of ISIL and the worst elements of the Syrian civil war – instability, refugees, violence, as well as incursions from Russian aircraft since Moscow’s entry – are bleeding over its territory. The response must be, as the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday, a renewed focus by the international community on uprooting terrorism.

For now, though, the thoughts of the outside world must be with those affected. Turkey’s neighbours have not always seen eye to eye, but on this they all stand shoulder to shoulder.