MAINZ, Germany – Kurds around the world reacted to Friday’s deadly suicide car bombing in Erbil with a mixture of shock, anger and apprehension.
“I am really sad about what happened in my homeland. Who knows where those thugs were hiding before they killed and destroyed so many lives?” Xezal Tosun, a human rights activist, told Rudaw from Austria.
The massive explosion outside the entrance of the US Consulate in the foreigner-friendly Ainkawa district surprised many who consider the Kurdistan Region one of the safest places in the Middle East.
“I was so shocked. I’d never have expected the war reaching our cities inside the Kurdistan Region! And now it happened for the fourth time since 2014,” Juan Bosali, who lives in Oslo, Norway, told Rudaw without mentioning the specific attacks.
Others considered the blast, which killed two Turkish citizens of Kurdish ethnicity and left eight other civilians wounded, as a reminder of the seriousness of this war against Islamic State.
Karzan Omo, chairman of the Kurdish Youth in Germany (KJD), said: “I am overly dismayed about the terrorist attack on Erbil and watch the developments on this incident with great concern … Our government mustn’t underestimate the security situation.”
Rejin Baker, a Kurdish engineering student in Europe, expressed frustration at the aggression of others as well as Kurdish openness.
“We Kurds now have to realize the consequences of our docile heart. There’s nothing more to say about the tragedy that struck Erbil,” Baker said.
The suicide attack occurred shortly after it was reported that the United States will arm the Kurds directly and not via Baghdad.
“Although no Americans were killed, I feel the same anger and frustration as if it had happened. Those thugs clearly attacked both us and our allies and friends, the Kurds. The American government has to give the Kurds clearly more support in their fight against ISIL,” Alenna Roberts, who works with the US military.
Tosun, like many overseas Kurds who spoke to Rudaw, was worried the attacks were far from over.
“I think it was not the last time they will do this and I think they will surprise us with similar attacks even here in Europe,” Tosun said.
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