Will Turkey blasts impact G20 summit?

In a suspected suicide bombing, the world’s most dreaded terrorist organisation ISIL killed around 30 people in the Turkish city of Suruc and injured more than 100. The city which is near the Syrian city of Kobane has witnessed frequent clashes between the Kurdish groups and ISIL. While the Turkish authorities claim it is a suicide attack, nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Will the latest terror attack impact the G20 summit of the world’s most advanced economies Turkey will host in Novembe? Ankara is in the middle of preparations for the summit, which is expected to be attended by top world leaders, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While there has been no official statement on whether the blasts would have any impact on hosting the summit, it may impinge on the showpiece event if the situation continues to worsen. While the international community has condemned the blasts, nobody has made any mention of pulling out of the G20 summit or cancelling the event or changing the venue.

The coming few days would be a big test for the Turkish government in ensuring safety of its citizens and reassuring the international community that it is doing all it can to make the country safe and combating extremism at the same time. Speaking about the G 20 summit and the priorities for Turkey at Addis Ababa, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said the priorities for the summit during Turkey’s presidency are inclusiveness, investments and implementation.

India’s reaction

India has rallied in solidarity with Turkey and underlined the need for enhanced international cooperation in combating terrorism.

“India strongly opposes terrorism in all its forms and stands in solidarity with the government and people of Turkey,” India’s external affairs ministry said in a statement.

“The attack in Suruc is yet another reminder of the necessity of concerted action on the part of the international community to fight the scourge of terrorism,” it said.

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