BREAKING NEWS : Explosion in Turkish Border Town claims 28 lives

28 people have been killed and about 100 wounded in an explosion in a Turkish town near the border with Syria.

Reports have suggested the blast outside a cultural centre in Suruc, which lies 10km from the Syrian border town of Kobane, could have been the work of Islamist militants.

Video shown on local television of the moments before the explosion showed a large group of people standing behind a Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) banner before it is ripped apart by the huge blast.


Pervin Buldan, a lawyer from the pro-Kurdish HDP opposition party, said Turkish and Kurdish youths had gathered at the centre ahead of a planned trip to Kobane to take part in relief work.

Kobane had recently been secured by Syrian Kurdish fighters last month following an unsuccessful attack by militants from Islamic State (IS) who surrounded the town but were repelled by Kurdish forces and Free Syrian Army rebels.

Ms Buldan added that local officials were investigating the possibility a suicide bomber was responsible for the blast.

Graphic video posted on Facebook, which Sky News has been unable to verify, appears to show the immediate aftermath of the explosion, with bodies lying on the ground as screams can be heard.

Pictures posted on Twitter after the blast showed bodies covered with newspapers.

"I saw more than 20 bodies. I think the number of wounded is more than 50. They are still being put into ambulances," one witness said.

"It was a huge explosion, we all shook."

Local politician Adham Basho said: "Ambulances and private cars are picking up the wounded. Many were killed - 20 or 30. I am going to the hospital to help out."

A Turkish official said Islamic State appeared to have been responsible and that the attack was a "retaliation for the Turkish government's efforts to fight terrorism".

The explosion comes weeks after Turkey supplied extra troops and resources along part of its border with Syria, over fears of an increase in fighting between Kurdish forces, rebel groups, Syrian government troops and IS.



Source: SKY NEWS.