, Columnist
Turkey Plays Politics With Terrorism
The country's government tries to exploit a disaster for electoral gain.
A time of mourning.
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Turkey suffered the worst terrorist attack in its modern history on Saturday, when two suspected suicide bombers killed at least 95 people at a peace march organized by Kurdish and left-wing political parties. The government's response: attempt to ban media coverage, obstruct Twitter and smear the victims.
Acting Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu named several possible culprits right after the attack: the militant Kurdish Workers' Party, or PKK; left-wing terror organizations; and Islamic State. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the assault as an attack on democracy, equating it with PKK attacks on Turkish security forces.