Turkey attack a heinous act

A UAE newspaper has said that the deadly attack in Istanbul that killed several innocent people and injured many more is a despicable and heinous act that calls for a united and sterner action against terrorism.

In an editorial on Tuesday, The Gulf Today said, "The UAE has always taken a firm position rejecting violence and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."

As the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has stressed, the international community should rally efforts aimed at eradicating the scourge of terrorism from its root, as terrorism represents a threat to global peace and stability.

The paper went on to say, "The fact that the victims of the carnage on the shores of the Bosphorus waterway belonged to varied countries like Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon, Libya, India, besides Turkey, shows that the world is now like a global village and terrorism is a plague that calls for tough action by countries.

"The dreaded Daesh group has been blamed for at least half a dozen attacks on civilian targets in Turkey over the past one and a half years, but other than targeted assassinations, this is the first time it has directly claimed any of them.

"The latest attack has come at a time when Turkey itself is going through troubled times. It has been trying to recover from a failed July coup and a series of deadly bombings in Istanbul and elsewhere, some blamed on Daesh and others claimed by Kurdish militants.

"The motive behind such repeated attacks seems to be aimed at creating divisions within Turkish society. The Turkish people should remain vigilant and united and see to it that the bane of terrorism is wiped out.

"The world community should extend all help to Turkey in its efforts to stamp out terror. The perpetrators of this monstrous crime should be identified and swiftly brought to justice," the paper concluded.