Attacks in Ivory Coast, Turkey Kill Nearly 50

Apparent extremist attacks in the Ivory Coast and Turkey have left nearly 50 people dead. At least six armed men attacked beachgoers outside three hotels Sunday in Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast, killing at least 14 civilians and two special forces, sending tourists fleeing through the historic Ivory Coast resort town, says Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara. Bloody bodies were sprawled on the beach before being taken away by security forces and Ivorian Red Cross workers, the AP reports. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the attack, according to SITE Intelligence Group which monitors jihadist websites. The Islamic extremist group called three of the attackers "heroes" for the assault on the Grand Bassam beach resort.

Meanwhile, an explosion in the Turkish capital of Ankara has killed at least 34 people and wounded 125, 19 of them seriously, officials in Turkey tell the AP. The explosion near Ankara's main square is believed to have been caused by a car bomb that went off close to bus stops. No one has claimed the attack, although Kurdish militants and the Islamic State group have carried out bombings in the city recently. Turkey's pro-Kurdish party—which is frequently linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK—has issued a statement condemning the attack. Interior Minister Efkan Ala says Sunday's attack won't deter the country from its fight against terrorism. He says authorities have obtained evidence but won't make an announcement on those responsible until the end of the investigation. (More terrorist attack stories.)