IS likely perpetrator of Gaziantep attack: Turkey’s Erdogan

Ankara, Aug 21 (AFP) Turkish President Recep TayyipErdogan today said the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group wasthe "likely perpetrator" of a bomb attack on a wedding in thesoutheastern city of Gaziantep that left at least 30 dead. Erdogan said in a written statement that there was "nodifference" between the group of US-based preacher FethullahGulen who he blames for a failed July 15 coup bid, theoutlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) "and Daesh (IS), thelikely perpetrator of the attack in Gaziantep". "Our country and our nation have again only one messageto those who attack us — you will not succeed!" he said. Erdogan added that PKK attacks on security forces hadclaimed 70 lives in the last month alone. Erdogan said that the aim of attacks like Gaziantep wasto sow division between different groups in Turkey such asArabs, Kurds and Turkmen and "spread incitement along ethnicand religious lines." Turkey would not give in to the "provocation" of theGaziantep attack and would instead show "unity, togethernessand brotherhood", he said. Ankara has long insisted there is no difference betweenthe various "outlawed" terror groups it is fighting and hasurged the West to take a tougher stance against the PKK. (AFP)KJ