Normally a jovial people known for their sense of humor, Turks are becoming increasingly somber. The climate of violence and the government's helplessness against terrorism — which can hit the country's nerve centers at any time — have made the Turkish public so tense that many are staying home out of fear.

The avenues of Turkey’s capital are no longer bustling. The hotels in Istanbul and tourism centers are losing their customers. All the service sectors are suffering because of the climate of violence.

Adding to the prevailing depressive mood among many Turks, a major soccer competition was postponed at the last minute March 20 in Istanbul. The most recent casualty of terrorism in Turkey, the game was called off for the first time in 107 years.

Officials made the decision just one day after a suicide bomber believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State blew himself up in the center of Istanbul. The explosion killed five, including an Iranian tourist and three sightseers from Israel, and wounded 39. That attack came less than a week after a suicide mission by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, a group allegedly affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), shed blood in the heart of Turkey’s capital, Ankara.