Suicide bomber killed & 12 injured in Mersin

A suspected suicide bomber attempting to flee from police officers detonated explosives at a checkpoint outside of Mersin on 19 August 2008. The blast killed the bomber and injured 12 police officers. Turkish authorities were reportedly pursuing the vehicle based on information concerning an impending bomb attack in Mersin. There was no immediate confirmation on the identity of the bomber. Islamic militants motivated by al-Qaeda and separatists with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have both been blamed for carrying out recent attacks in Turkey.