Kurdish director Garip Çelik who was filming during the explosion in Suruç spoke to ANF and said that the explosion took place inside the group that was issuing a press statement. Çelik pointed at the role of ISIS as he said that the attack was organized and professional.

EXPLOSION HAPPENED INSIDE THE CROWD

Kurdish director Garip Çelik was one of the people who came to Suruç from İstanbul with members of the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF). Çelik stated that he was going to Kobanê to make a documentary, and said that they began the day with a breakfast in the garden of Amara Cultural Center this morning. Afterwards, ID photocopies were collected and a press statement was issued to inform the crowd in front of Amara Cultural Center. The crowd was later going to make an application to the governor’s office for legal procedures.

Çelik said that he was filming at the time of the explosion and there were 2-3 meters between him and the crowd. As the press statement ended, a violent explosion tore bodies apart and turned the garden into a bloodbath. Çelik said that arms and legs flew over him right after the explosion.

‘POLICE SEARCHED ALL BUSES CAREFULLY BUT SKIPPED OURS’

Çelik emphasized that the explosion happened right at the center of the crowd, and reported that people in the crime scene were speaking of a 16 years-old stranger among the crowd. Çelik noted that the police came to the crime scene after the explosion only to attack civilians. Çelik said that ambulances arrived too late and many injured people were taken to hospitals in civilians’ cars.

Çelik stated that he was in the first bus that entered Suruç and the police searched all buses carefully but skipped theirs. Çelik said that he lost many friends in the explosion, and pointed at the role of ISIS as he said that the attack was organized and professional.