3.10 The Time Period

Mohammad P. Kurdish Refugees. 

Since the beginning of Syria's civil war, an estimated 1.9 million Syrian refugees have been residing in Turkey, primarily in the southeast. The conflict with the Kurds escalated with the end of a temporary ceasefire with the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) in 2015. The ceasefire ended just one day after Erdoğan promised to "liquidate" the group.  The Turkish government has also been facing severe international criticism for knowingly purchasing oil from ISIS and allowing people with ties to the terrorist group through the border. The morning Erdoğan gave this speech, an ISIS affiliated suicide bomber attacked the country's largest tourist attraction. The Turkish government's grip on the country is loosening quickly. The government has a history of cracking down on free speech during times of crisis or scandal. Attacking the academics who attacked them likely seemed like a logical move.

Local: Canlı Bomba (live bomb) video
Local: Erdoğan's Fight with the Academics

National: Davutoğlu's response to the bombings
National: Violence in Diyarbakir 

International: Istanbul Explosion Kills 10 Tourists
International: PKK Ends Unilateral Ceasefire with Turkey