Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chairman Yasin Aktay said on Sunday that despite recent deadly bomb blasts in İstanbul that claimed the lives of 44 people, terrorism has been reduced in Turkey.
Speaking during a news program on CNNTürk via phone on Sunday, Aktay claimed that terrorism is on the decline due to successful anti-terror operations in Turkey and Syria by Turkish security forces.
“Due to the successful operations by security forces in Turkey and Syria, [the terror] has declined. You can be sure that terrorism has been reduced. Carrying out an effective and large-scale [terror] act doesn’t show their strength. On the contrary, it shows their decline. Think about it, they are trying to sell [their actions] to the public [by these terror acts]. They gave up hope of finding a base among the public. These are acts of vengeance,” Aktay said.
Forty-four people, including civilians and police officers, died in twin blasts in İstanbul after explosions took place near Vodafone Arena in Beşiktaş following a match between the Beşiktaş and Bursaspor football teams on Saturday.