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Thousands in Turkish Capital Protest Saturday's Bombing


Family members of Korkmaz Tedik, a victim of Saturday's bomb blasts, mourn over his coffin during a funeral ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 11, 2015.
Family members of Korkmaz Tedik, a victim of Saturday's bomb blasts, mourn over his coffin during a funeral ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 11, 2015.

Turkey has started three days of official mourning following Saturday's twin bombings at a peace rally in Ankara that killed at least 95 people. But appeals for unity are giving way to increasingly bitter recriminations.

Thousands of protesters chant Sunday in the capital, Ankara, saying the state and government will be held to account. Mourning is fast giving way to anger in the aftermath of Turkey’s worst terrorist attack. Some organizers of Saturday’s Peace Rally claim there was little security, even though there had been increasing fears of a possible attack.

A demonstrator holds flowers before a police barricade during a commemoration for the victims of Saturday's bomb blasts in the Turkish capital, in Ankara, October 11, 2015.
A demonstrator holds flowers before a police barricade during a commemoration for the victims of Saturday's bomb blasts in the Turkish capital, in Ankara, October 11, 2015.

Interior Minister Selami Altinok has denied negligence.

The leader of the pro Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, Selahattin Demirtas, has accused the government and security forces of collusion in the bombings. Addressing Sunday’s Ankara protest, he said he was committed to finding the truth.

He said, "We will not meet this violence with violence." But, "We are committed to holding all those to account."

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has condemned accusations of government collusion and is accusing the Kurdish leader of inflammatory comments.

It is the third fatal bombing aimed at pro Kurdish groups since June; in July 33 young activists were killed by a suicide bomber.

A man cries over the body of a victim, at the site of an explosion in Ankara, Oct. 10, 2015.
A man cries over the body of a victim, at the site of an explosion in Ankara, Oct. 10, 2015.

The previous attacks were blamed by security forces on Islamic state militants, but in what observers say was a controversial move, the government refused to open a parliamentary investigation into the bombings.

Saturday's double bombing, is adding to a deepening polarization of the country as its heads to a general election in November.

Destabilizing the elections is seen as a possible motive behind Saturday’s attack.The fear in Turkey now is, what else can happen before election day.

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