December 11, 2016•Update: December 12, 2016
By Ayse Humeyra Atilgan
ISTANBUL
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed his "determination in the fight against terrorism" following Saturday's deadly terror attack in Istanbul, which left 38 people martyred and over 150 others wounded.
"No one should have any doubt about our fight against terrorism," Erdogan told the reporters Sunday outside a hospital where he visited the wounded.
"We are the owners of this country, and will not leave it to those scums if they aim to scare us with such attacks," he added.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who also visited wounded at another hospital, said the Istanbul terror attack would strengthen the perseverance to fight against terrorism.
"This nation has the will and power to rid the country of PKK, PYD, YPG, DHKP-C [far-left terror group], [Fetullah Terrorist Organization] FETO, and all the other terrorist groups," Yildirim said.
He said it was "most likely" the PKK terrorist organization that carried out the attack, which he said was "targeted at our unity, solidarity, and fraternity".
Previously, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus also said signs were pointing to PKK involvement in the deadly attack.
On Saturday evening, a first explosion occurred outside a football stadium in Istanbul's Besiktas district when a car bomb was detonated two hours after the end of a Turkish league football match between Besiktas and Bursaspor.
The second one -- a suicide bomb attack -- came just seconds later in Macka Park in the same neighborhood. The suicide bomber blew himself up after police noticed him, according to the interior minister.
A total of 13 suspects have been arrested so far.
