Car bomb explosions hit police stations in the east of Turkey

Two car bombings have ripped through police stations in the volatile eastern Turkey, killing at least six people and wounding more than 100 others.

At least three people have been killed and more than 50 others wounded when a car bomb explosion ripped through the police headquarters in the troubled eastern province of Elazig, security sources say.

Deputy Mayor Mahmut Varol told Haber Turk television news network by telephone that the attack took place in the provincial capital city of Elazig, located 565 kilometers (351 miles) east of the capital, Ankara, on Thursday.

He added that a number of cars were parked near the police station caught fire following the act of violence.

No individual or militant group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast yet.

Background on this from Katehon:

The Van province is in the South-East of the country and borders Iran.  Historically, it was part of Armenia before all Armenians were evicted from the area in the early 20th century. The Kurds now make up part of the province’s population.

Amidst growing threats and new explosions, the current instability is undermining the country’s political integrity. The state of emergency helps little in solving such security problems.

It is obvious that effectively fighting terrorism is possible only through an integrated and participatory approach. NATO is unable to cope with this problem, a fact confirmed by the explosions in Western European cities. Therefore, Turkey should strengthen cooperation with Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Armenia in the fight against terrorism and extremism.