2nd LD: 27 killed in explosion in southeastern Turkey

At least 27 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in a powerful explosion in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border on Monday, local media reported.

The blast hit the garden of Amara Cultural Center of Suruc district in Sanliurfa province, near the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ayn al-Arab, according to private NTV news channel.

Deputy of pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HDP) was quoted as saying that a group was making a press statement about the "rebuilding of Kobane town" when the blast occurred at the cultural center.

The cause of the blast was immediately unclear, with no official statement yet, but Suruc District Governor Abdullah Ciftci said it might have been a suicide bomb.

At least 300 members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), mostly students, were staying at the Amara Cultural Center aiming to assist the rebuilding of Kobane, which is across the border from Suruc.

"Some 400 people across Turkey came to the district on Monday morning in order to cross into Kobane town. We think the perpetrators of the attack are from the Islamic State. It is a suicide bomb," Ismail Kaplan, district chairman of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) said.

He noted that another suicide bombing hit Kobane on Monday too.

Suruc is a predominately Kurdish town and is located across the border from Kobane town in Syria.

The town is home to one of the biggest refugee camps for Syrians and played a major role in crossings of Kurdish refugees from towns in Syria to Turkey.

Kobane came under attack of Islamic State (IS) jihadists in early 2015 and thousands of people have crossed Mursitpinar border crossing and arrived Suruc town fleeing violence. Endit