Pope prays for ‘defenseless’ victims of Turkish bomb blasts

October 11, 2015 7:16pm

A man asks for help for an injured woman after an explosion during a peace march in Ankara, Turkey, October 10, 2015. At least one explosion shook a road junction in the center of the Turkish capital on Saturday, causing many casualties including fatalities, local media said. The state-run Anadolu Agency said there were reports that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber, but the source of those reports was unclear. The blast occurred ahead of a planned "peace" march to protest against the conflict between the state and Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey. Earlier media reports had said there were two explosions. REUTERS/Tumay Berkin

MILAN - Pope Francis said he was deeply saddened by the killing of defenseless people in Saturday's bomb blasts in Ankara, the most deadly attack of its kind on Turkish soil.

Two suspected suicide bombers hit a rally of pro-Kurdish and labor activists near Ankara's main train station three weeks before an election, killing at least 95 people and fueling unease in a country beset by conflict between state forces and Kurdish militants.

The pope asked thousands of faithful in Saint Peter's Square on Sunday to pray in silence for the victims after his weekly Angelus address.

"We are pained ... because the perpetrators hit defenseless people who were demonstrating for peace. I pray for that dear country," the Pope said. — Reuters

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