The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) strongly condemns the barbarous terror attack carried out today in Istanbul's Beyazit district, which killed 11 people, including seven police officers, and wounded 36 others.

Turkey has been target of terrorism for decades by extremist groups, namely Armenian ASALA and JCAG, Kurdish PKK since 1960s, and most recently DAESH/ISIS.

Since 1973, Armenian terrorist groups, particularly the Marxist-Leninist ASALA and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation's militant wing JCAG, have committed 239 attacks, killing at least 70, including 42 foreign service officers, wounding over 700 innocent people, and causing  millions of dollars in property damage worldwide.

Since 1984, terrorist attacks launched by the Marxist-Leninist Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) have claimed the lives of over 40,000 people. The PKK claims to represent Kurds, but includes a sliver of 5000 or more radicals and militants who are based in Northern Iraq, supported by Syria, and obtain revenue through narcotics smuggling into the EU. PKK terrorist attacks continue to date.

ATAA extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured as a result of this atrocious act.

ATAA remembers all Turkish military and law enforcement personnel who have sacrificed their lives to fight terror, and conveys its deepest sympathies and respects to their families.

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