Turkish bomb blast kills two Irish tourists
Two Irish tourists are believed to be among the five people killed in a suicide bomb attack on a Turkish holiday resort today.
A British woman also died in the blast that ripped through a minibus in Kusadasi, injuring more than a dozen others.
The bus had been taking passengers to a beach in the coastal town, 45 miles southeast of the port city of Izmir, when its roof and sides were torn off in the morning explosion.
Body parts were reportedly strewn yards from the vehicle.
The Government confirmed a woman in her 20s, understood to be a student, had been killed. Her name has not been released.
Police officials close to the Aegean Sea town where the explosion occurred also said another Irish citizen was among the dead.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Dermot Ahern, urged the Turkish authorities to hunt down the killers.
Expressing sympathy to the victims families, he said: “I am deeply shocked by this cruel and senseless act.
“There can be no justification whatsoever for this atrocity. I condemn in the strongest terms those who planned this attack.
“I call on the Turkish authorities to pursue those responsible with the utmost vigour and to bring them to justice.”
Mr Ahern added: “I have instructed our Ambassador in Turkey to request the Turkish authorities to review security arrangements in tourist resorts in Turkey in the wake of this attack to ensure the safety of Irish and other holidaymakers.”
The British woman who died has not been named. The other two fatalities were believed to be Turkish.
Investigators suspect a female suicide bomber whose body was torn apart in the explosion was responsible for the attack.
Five other Britons were injured, three seriously and two slightly hurt, according to the Foreign Office in London.
Kurdish rebels behind a series recent of bomb attacks in the area and al-Qaida-linked Islamic factions have both fallen under suspicion.
Travel advice for the country, a destination chosen annually by thousands of Irish holidaymakers, is being reviewed by the Department of Foreign Affairs following the attack.
All Irish citizens in Turkey and those planning to travel to the country were also warned to show extreme caution and vigilance.
Tour operators Sunworld stressed its flight to Turkey from Dublin would depart tonight as planned.
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