Victims of 2015 Ankara massacre commemorated

During the commemoration that marked the 91st month of the 2015 Ankara massacre which killed 104 people, the Turkish state was called to confront the previous massacres in the country.

On October 10, 2015, 104 people lost their lives as a result of a bomb attack carried out by ISIS which was supported by the AKP-MHP government.

A commemoration event was held in front of Ankara Train Station where the bombing took place, to mark the 91st month of the massacre.

During the event organized by the 10 October Peace Association (10 Ekim-Der), a banner with the photos of the victims was displayed.

The commemoration was attended by Green Left Party’s Ankara deputy candidates İhsan Ceylan, Hatice Göz, Metin Kılıç, Zişan Kürüm Yılmaz, Emirali Türkmen and Ruken Dilara Zaf, as well as Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) and Green Left Party provincial administrators and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara Provincial Co-Chair Pakize Sinemillioğlu.

In a speech, 10 Ekim-Der Head Mehtap Sakinci Coşgun said: “We are on the eve of the May 14 elections. The country saw bomb attacks, cross border operations, detentions and arrests before the November elections in 2015. Huge prices were paid, and a lot of blood was spilled. Those responsible for the killings have never been brought to account, and the government has ignored the massacres.

“We want to talk about other things after the 14 May elections. We want to see the end of this notorious era. We want to say that it is now time for the country to officially confront the massacres.

İhsan Ceylan said: “The 2015 Ankara massacre has remained unsolved. The attack on a HDP party rally on June 5 in 2015 was organized by the same group. We have always promoted peace. This is the October 10 square. It is the grave of our children.

Emirali Türkmen said: “Although 91 months have passed since the massacre, we are here today because no perpetrator who was involved in the massacre has been revealed so far.”

Türkmen added: “We know that Turkey's history is the history of massacres. We lost many lives. We have not forgotten the massacres in Maraş, Sivas and Çorum. Suruç is very close to us, and the Ankara massacre took place right here. We were all together. Democracy will never come to this country until we confront the previous massacres.”