ISTANBUL -- Turkey declared a national day of mourning and paid tribute to the dead Sunday after two bombings in Istanbul killed 38 people and wounded 155 others near a soccer stadium. The carnage was claimed by a Turkey-based Kurdish militant group.The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, said two of its members had sacrificed their lives in the Saturday night attack that targeted security forces outside the Besiktas stadium shortly after the conclusion of a match.Two of our comrades were heroically martyred in the attack, according to a statement posted on TAKs website.It described the blasts as reprisal for state violence in the southeast and the ongoing imprisonment of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. TAK is considered by authorities as a PKK offshoot.The twin car-and-suicide bombings near the stadium enraged top officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who vowed to hunt down the perpetrators. The attack was the latest large-scale assault to traumatize a nation confronting an array of security threats.Turkey is a NATO member and a partner in the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State group.The attack targeted police officers, killing 30 of them along with seven civilians and an unidentified person, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters. He said 13 people had been arrested in connection with the terrorist act.In an address at a funeral for the slain police officers before TAKs statement was released, a furious Soylu condemned Kurdish rebels and their allies in the West, referring to the PKK as animals.Have you accomplished anything beyond being the servants, pawns and hit men of certain dark forces, of your dark Western partners? he asked.Turkish officials didnt make any further comments after the TAK claim of responsibility was posted.The battle between the PKK and the Turkish state has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of citizens. Turkish officials frequently accuse the West of supporting the Kurdish insurgency and of interfering in Ankaras fight against the militants.Erdogan vowed his country would fight the curse of terrorism till the end after paying a visit to some of the wounded at Haseki Hospital in Istanbul.Hundreds of flag-carrying demonstrators marched along Istanbuls coastline toward the stadium at the heart of the blast area. Flags flew at half-staff across the country and at Turkeys foreign missions. Passers-by placed flowers on barriers surrounding the soccer stadium.The first and larger explosion took place about 10:30 p.m. Saturday after Besiktas beat Bursaspor 2-1 in the Turkish Super League. Erdogan said the attacks timing aimed to maximize the loss of life, but most fans had left before the detonation.Soylu said the first blast was caused by a passing vehicle that detonated in an area where police special forces were located at the stadium exit. A riot police bus appears to have been the target. Moments later, a person who had been stopped in nearby Macka Park committed suicide by triggering explosives, according to the minister.He said 136 people remained hospitalized Sunday after the attack, including 14 in intensive care.TAK claimed the Turkish people werent their target but warned no one should expect a comfortable life as long as the ruling party continues to torture the mothers of Kurdistan every day.Armed conflict between the Turkish state and Kurdish militants resumed in July 2015 after peace talks unraveled. While much of the violence has concentrated in the impoverished and pre-dominantly Kurdish southeast, it has also spread to other cities, including the capital, Ankara, where TAK has claimed February and March suicide bombings.Experts have determined that up to 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of explosives were used in the car bomb, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN Turk.To the mournful sound of trumpets, funeral services were held at Istanbuls police headquarters for some of the slain officers. Their comrades solemnly carried the coffins, which were draped in the Turkish flag, as a sea of mourners wept around them.Erdogan presided over a security meeting after the funeral ceremony and hospital visit.Soccer fans proved their resilience by showing up to watch a game pitting Istanbuls Galatasaray and Gaziantepspor at a different stadium.What happened last night was extremely saddening but they need to know that Turkish people will not yield to such things, Galatasaray supporter Erkan Duman told The Associated Press. Its not like we will give up things, especially things we love, just because they want us to.Turkey has witnessed a spate of IS and Kurdish-linked attacks this year. Saturdays bombings were one of the bloodiest to hit Istanbul, a city at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, until recently a popular tourist destination.That changed after a series of IS-linked suicide bombings targeting tourists, including a sophisticated attack on the citys Ataturk Airport in June that killed 44 people and wounded scores of others. PKK-linked militants have claimed other deadly attacks in Ankara, Istanbul and areas in southeast Turkey.A state of emergency is in force following a failed July 15 coup attempt and the resulting government crackdown on alleged coup sympathizers has landed thousands in jail and forced tens of thousands of people from their jobs. Critics call the move a witch hunt.---Cinar Kiper, Ayse Wieting and Bulut Emiroglu contributed to this report.China Jerseys . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Cheap Jerseys China . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. http://www.wholesalenflthrowbackjerseys.com/ .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Cheap Jerseys Outlet . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats.WASHINGTON -- Both the NFL and the Commission on Presidential Debates are rejecting Republican Donald Trumps assertions about the fall debates, which the billionaire businessman says have been rigged by his opponents to draw a smaller audience by scheduling two of them at the same time as a football game.Trump began by making an accusation in a tweet posted Friday night: As usual, Hillary & the Dems are trying to rig the debates so 2 are up against major NFL games. Same as last time w/ Bernie. Unacceptable!Trump expanded his conspiracy theory when asked about the debates during an interview for Sundays This Week on ABC: Well, Ill tell you what I dont like. Its against two NFL games. I got a letter from the NFL saying, `This is ridiculous. Why are the debates against -- `cause the NFL doesnt wanna go against the debates. `Cause the debates are gonna be pretty massive, from what I understand, OK?Asked about Trumps assertion, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tweeted on Saturday: While wed obviously wish the Debate Commission could find another night, we did not send a letter to Mr Trump.A Trump aide said Saturday that the Republican candidate was made aware of the conflicting dates by a source close to the league. The aide was not authorized to speak by name and requested anonymity.The nonpartisan, independent presidential debate commission serves as the event sponsor and sets the participation criteria, dates, sites and formats. The sites aand dates for three presidential debates were announced in September 2015.ddddddddddddThe CPD did not consult with any political parties or campaigns in making these decisions, the commission said in a statement issued Saturday.Two of the three debates will be televised at the same time as an NFL game. On Sept. 26, the night of the first debate, ESPN will carry the Monday night game featuring the Falcons vs. the Saints. On Oct. 9, the second debate will air opposite the Sunday night game featuring the Giants vs. the Packers on NBC.The Democratic Party was criticized during the primary race for scheduling debates between Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday nights and holiday weekends, times when viewership is low. The Sanders campaign suggested that was an effort to limit the size of the audience.Trump told ABC: You know, Hillary Clinton wants to be against the NFL. She doesnt -- maybe like she did with Bernie Sanders, where they were on Saturday nights when nobodys home.The Clinton campaign did not comment on Trumps assertions.In the ABC interview, Trump said three debates were fine and that hed rather have three than one.---AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner in Springfield, New Jersey, and AP writers Jonathan Lemire in New York and Lisa Lerer in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report. ' ' '