Arrest of 15 in Turkey Following Suicide Bombing in Bursa

Afkan Ala, the Turkish Interior Minister, announced on Thursday, April 9, that fifteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the suicide bombing that occurred the previous day in the city of Bursa in western Turkey. On Wednesday, a female suicide bomber detonated herself near a mosque in one of Bursa's historic neighborhoods. The explosion did not result in any fatalities but left 13 people injured, none of whom are in critical condition. The Turkish Interior Minister did not provide further details about those arrested on Thursday; however, the Anadolu Agency reported this morning that twelve individuals were detained in Bursa, Istanbul, and two other cities. The Associated Press reported the number of detainees as 15. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion yet, and Turkish officials have not provided information regarding the female bomber and her political affiliations. The suicide bombing in Bursa occurred just one day after the United States warned its citizens of 'credible' signs of potential terrorist attacks in tourist areas of Turkey. Turkey is facing the Syrian civil war on one side and an increase in clashes with Kurdish militants on the other, and in recent months has witnessed a rise in suicide attacks in several of its cities. Over the past year, more than two hundred people have been killed in various cities in Turkey during seven suicide attacks. Turkish officials have attributed four of these seven attacks to the Islamic State group. However, this group, which is said to operate within Turkey, has never claimed responsibility for any attacks on Turkish soil. Bursa is Turkey's fourth most populous city, and the suicide attack occurred near a 14th-century mosque that is a symbol of the city.