Marking the ninth anniversary of two bombings in October 2015 that claimed the lives of 103 people and injured more than 500, Turkey is still dealing with the consequences of the country’s deadliest attack, which contributed to a political climate that strengthened President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s hand and reinforced a “security first” agenda, Turkish Minute reported.

In 2015 Turkey was markedly different from the centralized state it would later become under Erdoğan’s leadership.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had lost its parliamentary majority in the June election that year, making it the first time since 2002 that the party could not form a government on its own. This political setback weakened the AKP’s dominance and signaled a shift in voter sentiment.

Furthermore, Erdoğan’s presidency was largely a symbolic role at the time since the position had not yet been transformed into the powerful executive office it would later become. His ability to directly influence the government’s daily operations was limited, which left the political future of the country uncertain and his hold on power less secure.

It was against this backdrop that the aftermath of the bombings intensified the desire for stability and security, providing Erdoğan with an opportunity to reshape the political landscape and tighten his authoritarian grip.

The attack and its aftermath

The bombings took place at 10:04 a.m. on October 10, 2015 near Ankara’s central train station, just ahead of a planned peace rally. The rally, organized by labor unions and civil society groups, aimed to promote “Labor, Peace, and Democracy” amid escalating violence following the breakdown of the government’s peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The explosions, which came 21 days before a snap election, caused chaos and panic among demonstrators, many of whom had gathered in support of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

Initial investigations pointed to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as the likely perpetrator, with authorities later identifying the attackers as members of the ISIL-linked Dokumacılar group. The bombers, one of whom was connected to a previous ISIL attack, had managed to reach the rally site despite a reported series of warnings from intelligence agencies about potential suicide bombings.

The bombings sparked outrage, with opposition parties accusing the government of negligence and failing to ensure adequate security. There were reports of security forces using tear gas to disperse people attempting to help the wounded, which further fueled anger and distrust towards the authorities.

Legal proceedings and enduring questions

Years of legal proceedings have yet to satisfy demands for justice, as questions remain about the state’s handling of the incident. Although several individuals connected to the attack were sentenced to life imprisonment, 16 suspects, including those who authorities allege are senior figures in the ISIL network, remain at large.

Relatives of the victims and human rights organizations continue to question why there were no measures in place to prevent the attack, despite multiple intelligence reports suggesting an imminent threat.

There have been calls for accountability regarding the actions of security and intelligence officials before the bombing.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in July that Turkish authorities did not violate their obligations regarding the bombings, a decision likely to disappoint the families of victims who have long sought accountability. The ECtHR found that the authorities had taken reasonable precautions, citing a lack of a specific, imminent threat at the time.

The ruling followed years of legal battles and criticism from victims’ families over the absence of any public officials facing charges, despite a 2016 Interior Ministry report indicating potential negligence. The report revealed that authorities had received intelligence about a possible attack targeting leftist and pro-Kurdish groups and even had prior knowledge of the bombers’ identities. However, no public officials have been prosecuted, and a recent retrial resulted in lengthy sentences for the defendants but fell short of convicting them of crimes against humanity.

The European court’s decision to reject claims under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which concerns the right to life, has left many victims’ families feeling that justice remains elusive.

The political impact

The bombings occurred at a time when Turkey was already on edge, with the country experiencing increased violence after the breakdown of peace talks with PKK as well as ISIL. The bombings, along with other deadly attacks that year, deepened fears of instability, which Erdoğan and the AKP used to their advantage in the November 2015 snap election. The ruling party regained its majority, capitalizing on a shift in public sentiment toward prioritizing security.

The attack also accelerated Erdoğan’s push for a stronger executive presidency, which later culminated in a 2017 constitutional referendum that significantly expanded his powers. Since then, Erdoğan’s government has implemented sweeping measures that critics argue stifle dissent.

Remembering the victims

Every October, families of the victims and supporters gather near the Ankara train station to commemorate the victims of the bombing.

Ahead of the ninth anniversary of the attack, families chose not to attend the inauguration of a new monument in Ankara, citing dissatisfaction with the event’s organization.

The monument, “Scream of the October 10 Victims’ Mothers,” was unveiled at the Ankara train station.

The October 10 Peace and Solidarity Association, representing the families, and the monument’s sculptor, Metin Yurdanur, boycotted the ceremony after the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the CHP-run Ankara Municipality canceled a program the association had planned, informing them just hours before that they would only be attending as guests. The families viewed this as an imposed and dismissive gesture, which compounded their broader frustrations over what they see as symbolic gestures that fail to address ongoing demands for justice and accountability.

On the anniversary today, victims were commemorated with a ceremony near the attack site. The event included a moment of silence at 10:04 a.m., followed by a reading of the names of the deceased. The families of the victims, political leaders, union representatives and civil society groups participated.

Speakers at the event, including Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the pro-Kurdish HDP’s successor, and Labor Party (EMEP) Chairman Seyit Aslan, condemned what they claimed was the government’s role in the attack, pointing to the failure to prevent the tragedy.

They also accused the government and its security forces of creating conditions that enabled the attack.

Hatimoğulları vowed to remember the victims, warning that forgetting them could lead to more violence. The ceremony concluded with participants placing carnations at the monument.

The anniversaries serve not only as a remembrance of the lives lost but also as a continued call for justice. However, the events have not been without controversy; in recent years, authorities have restricted access to the site, citing security concerns.

In January 2024 a trial began for 17 people who were arrested while trying to attend a memorial service in 2022. They were charged with violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations.

The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) condemned the prosecution of the 17 individuals at the time, arguing that the charges represented an infringement on the right to peaceful assembly and free expression.

The MLSA emphasized that commemorating victims of a terrorist attack should not be criminalized and criticized the authorities for using legal measures to suppress dissent. The organization called for the dismissal of the charges and urged the government to respect democratic rights, including the freedom to remember and seek justice for those who lost their lives in the 2015 bombing.

Nine years on, the Ankara train station bombings continue to cast a long shadow over Turkey. The attack not only took a toll in terms of lives lost but also had a profound impact on the nation’s political landscape.