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WORLD NEWSThursday 18 February 2016
Explosion in Ankara kills at least 28 UN envoy to Libya says time
SUZAN FRASER out attacks in the country Russian and Syrian forces is running out, IS expanding
Associated Press recently. In October, sui- have prompted tens of
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A cide bombings blamed on thousands of Syrian refu- MAGGIE MICHAEL
car bomb went off in the IS targeted a peace rally gees to flee to Turkey’s Associated Press
Turkish capital Wednes- outside the main train sta- border. Turkey so far has CAIRO (AP) — The U.N. envoy to Libya is urging its par-
day near vehicles carry- tion in Ankara, killing 102 refused to let them in, de- liament to endorse a unity government that can help
ing military personnel, kill- people in Turkey’s deadli- spite being urged to do so combat a mushrooming Islamic State affiliate, he told
ing at least 28 people and est attack in years. by the United Nations and The Associated Press on Wednesday, the fifth anniver-
wounding 61 others, offi- Turkish President Recep European nations, but is sary of the uprising that toppled Moammar Gadhafi
cials said. Tayyip Erdogan con- sending aid to Syrian refu- and plunged the country into chaos.
The explosion occurred demned the bombing say- gee camps right across the “Every day lost in political dialogue is a day of gain of
during evening rush hour in ing it exceeds all “moral border. Daesh,” Martin Kobler said in the interview, referring
the heart of Ankara, in an and humane boundaries.” Turkey, which is already to the extremist group by its Arabic acronym. “There is
area close to parliament Turkey is determined to home to 2.5 million Syrian chaos. There is anarchy in which Daesh expands.”
and armed forces head- fight those who carried out refugees, has also been Libya’s internationally recognized government and
quarters and lodgings. the attack as well as the a key focus of European parliament has convened in the far east since 2014,
when Islamist-allied militias seized the capital, Tripoli, in
Buses carrying military per- “forces” behind the assail- Union efforts to halt the support of rival authorities. The two competing parlia-
sonnel were targeted while biggest flow of refugees ments are each backed by a loose array of militias and
waiting at traffic lights at an ants, he said. to the continent since tribes.
intersection, the Turkish mili- World War II. Hundreds, The divisions have allowed IS to expand across the
tary said while condemn- “Our determination to re- sometimes thousands, of northern coast of the oil-rich North African country,
ing the “contemptible and refugees leave every night which is just across the Mediterranean from Italy and
dastardly” attack. taliate to attacks that aim from Turkey to cross the sea has also become a major conduit for African migrants
“We believe that those to Greece in smugglers’ heading to Europe. IS controls the central city of Sirte
who lost their lives included against our unity and future boats. and a number of oil installations, and has carried out
our military brothers as well NATO Secretary General attacks across the country.
as civilians,” Deputy Prime grows stronger with every Jens Stoltenberg strongly President Barack Obama said Wednesday that the
Minister Numan Kurtulmus condemned the “terror- United States will continue to target IS in Libya after a
said. action,” Erdogan said. “It ist attack” and offered his raid last year killed a top commander.
At least two military vehi- condolences to the fami- But defeating the group will require a government with
cles caught fire and dozens must be known that Turkey lies of the victims. Stolten- broad legitimacy and a unified army, and the interna-
of ambulances were sent berg said there can be no tional community can only lift an arms embargo once
to the scene. Dark smoke will not refrain from using its justification “for such hor- a unity government is in place.
could be seen billowing rific acts” and that “NATO On Sunday, a U.N.-designated council presented a
from a distance. right to self-defense at all Allies stand shoulder to new 18-member Cabinet in the Moroccan city of Skhi-
There was no immediate shoulder in the fight against rat, weeks after the internationally-backed House of
claim of responsibility, but times.” terrorism.” Representatives rejected an earlier lineup, citing reser-
Kurtulmus pledged that au- German Chancellor Ange- vations about its size and the distribution of portfolios
thorities would find those Wednesday’s attack la Merkel said: “In the battle among the country’s three regions. Powerful factions in
behind the bombing. He against those responsible Tripoli have also rejected the unity government, raising
said the government had comes at a tense time for these inhuman acts we concerns about whether it would be able to meet in
appointed seven prosecu- are on the side of Turkey.” the capital.
tors to investigate the at- when the Turkish govern- Washington also con- Kobler hailed the new proposal, describing it as a “bal-
tack, which he described demned the attack, ac- anced list” and saying politicians should accept the
as being “well-planned.” ment is facing an array cording to a statement by deal so they can begin to address the country’s “disas-
Kurdish rebels, the Islamic Mark Toner, deputy spokes- trous” humanitarian situation.
State group and a leftist ex- of challenges. A fragile man of the U.S. State De- Around 2.4 million Libyans — out of a population of 6
tremist group have carried partment. q million— depend on humanitarian aid, with 1.3 million
peace process with Kurd- receiving food aid, Kobler said. He said people line up
in front of bakeries and bring their own medicines to
ish rebels collapsed in the hospitals hit by shortages. Oil production has dropped
from 1.6 million barrels a day to 350,000, and Central
summer and renewed Bank reserves are dwindling.
“Ninety-five percent of the Libyan people are behind
fighting has displaced tens the political deal and want to see a strong government
that takes care of basic necessities,” Kobler said.
of thousands of civilians. Libyans wanted far more when they took to the streets
five years ago.
Turkey has also been help- Inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings sweeping the re-
gion, Libyans rose up against Gadhafi, who launched
ing efforts led by the United a fierce military crackdown in response. As his tanks
closed in on the rebel-held eastern city of Benghazi,
States to combat the Islam- NATO launched an air campaign to drive them back.
The rebels captured and killed Gadhafi in October of
ic State group in neighbor- that year, ending his four-decade rule.
Libya held its first-ever democratic election the follow-
ing Syria, and has faced ing year, but the real power was held by an array of
militias, including former rebel brigades, local tribes and
several deadly bombings Islamic militant groups. A dispute between rival political
factions turned bloody in 2014, leading to the current
in the last year that were impasse.q
blamed on IS.
The Syrian war is raging
along Turkey’s southern
border. Recent airstrikes by
