Brothers reflect on scars of 2015 Ankara bombing: 'Each breath a resistance'

Duygu Kıt / Gazete Duvar

On the ninth anniversary of the bombing at the Turkish capital Ankara’s train station, Gazete Duvar speaks with Altun brothers Ahmet, Cafer, and Armanç who had traveled from Istanbul to attend the Peace Rally.

"When I heard there would be a peace rally led by unions, I felt a sense of joy," Ahmet recalls. "We set off with songs and optimism. When we arrived in Ankara, it was surprising that the large crowd wasn’t being screened, but no one imagined a security lapse in a city like Ankara."

“We thought the worst-case scenario would be the cancellation of the march, and we'd have to run from tear gas," he said.

Altun said he and his friend decided to go to the park next to the square before the rally began, but as soon as they arrived, the first explosion occurred. He continued, "The time it took for my friend and me to get away from there was no more than 50 seconds. As soon as I sat down, the first explosion happened. Right after that, the second one went off. My two brothers and many of my friends were where the explosions took place. Chaos erupted; horrifying screams filled the air, and the asphalt was no longer visible. People were fleeing in panic. My older brother Armanç and my friend had to send my middle brother Cafer to the hospital in a taxi, not knowing which severed legs were his."

Cafer Altun, who lost a leg in the attack, reflected, "I continue living with the trauma, and every scar tells a story. Though I sometimes feel like it was a dream, the pain reminds me it's real. I struggle with focus, deal with costly prosthetics, impaired vision, hearing loss, and the 18 pellets embedded in my body."

"Every day, my scars remind me of what I’ve lost—my friends, acquaintances, even strangers," Cafer added. "It’s not easy; sometimes, even breathing feels hard. But each breath becomes an act of resistance. I’m here, living with the meaning behind what I’ve endured, trying to answer the question, 'How do you live with this pain?' Maybe the greatest lesson is that despite everything, we keep living, loving, feeling, understanding, and sharing."

Nine years have passed since the bombing at Ankara Train Station, which claimed 103 lives and injured hundreds. On July 1, 2024, the final hearing for the case related to the attack was held at Ankara’s 4th High Criminal Court. The court issued verdicts for 10 of the 26 suspects in custody, while 16 remain at large. Over nine years, the lawyers representing the victims submitted nearly 300 requests for a thorough investigation, most of which were denied.

No public officials have been prosecuted, and the massacre remains unresolved, with many still demanding justice for all those responsible.

(English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)