More Chaos in Turkey

The past few weeks have been devastating for the country of Turkey. Last Sunday, October 22nd, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 ravaged south-eastern Turkey. The death toll of the earthquake is over five hundred, and it also left more than 1,600 people injured. Those numbers are expected to rise as rescue teams try and locate survivors in the rubble of buildings. Not only did aftershocks rock the region after the earthquakes, but events such as prisoners rioting made the event more chaotic. 

After the tragic events caused by the earthquake, a suicide bomber attacked the headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development government party. This attack killed three people, and injured around twenty.  The headquarters, in the eastern town of Bingol, was most likely targeted by Kurdish rebels. These revolutionaries, who have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack, are a group which fights for the independence of Kurdish people in Turkey. These rebels are known as the PKK, or the Kurdistan Workers' Party. Their fight for freedom was caused by the lack of an official Kurdistan when Middle Eastern countries were officially created many years ago. 

Hopefully, the country of Turkey will be able to recover after these devastating events. Currently, it looks as if the danger caused by the earthquake and other events will slowly level out and become more calm.

-Nate

Sources:

• http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/29/world/europe/turkey-attack/index.html?hpt=ieu_c2
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/8852432/Turkey-earthquake-death-toll-passes-500.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15440505
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/report-explosion-in-turkey-wounds-several-in-mainly-kurdish-city/2011/10/29/gIQA34mxRM_story.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15506528