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Turkey rejects US embassy’s condolences over terror attack in Istanbul — interior minister

Earlier in the day, Suleyman Soylu criticized the US embassy’s condolences, saying that "it is like when the killer is among the first to come to the scene of the attack"

ANKARA, November 14. /TASS/. Turkey will not accept the United States’ condolences over Sunday’s terror attack in Istanbul. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday.

"We have received the message but we do not accept it and reject the US embassy’s condolences. We are not hostile towards anyone," he said.

Earlier in the day, Soylu criticized the US embassy’s condolences, saying that "it is like when the killer is among the first to come to the scene of the attack." At the same time, he did not quote the message but accused the United States of supporting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey. "We see insincerity from some of our so-called allies who either give shelter to terrorists or let them exist on territories they occupy, or officially send them money from their senates," the Turkish minister said.

A blast on Istanbul’s Istiklal pedestrian street on November 13 left six people dead and more than 80 injured. According to investigators, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its Syrian branch (People's Defense Units) were behind the attack.

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