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Ankara attack: one of bombers was PKK member, officials say Ankara attack: one of bombers was PKK member, Turkish officials say
(about 1 hour later)
Turkish security officials say a female member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) was one of two suspected perpetrators of a car bombing that killed 37 people in the capital. A female member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) was one of two suspected perpetrators of a car bombing that killed 37 people in Ankara on Sunday, Turkish security officials said, as the president vowed to bring terrorism “to its knees”.
The attack, which tore through a crowded transport hub a few hundred metres from the justice and interior ministries in Ankara on Sunday evening, was the second such bombing in the administrative heart of the city in less than a month. The officials told Reuters that evidence had been obtained that one of the bombers was a woman who joined the militant PKK in 2013. She was born in 1992 and was from the eastern Turkish city of Kars, they said. There has been no claim of responsibility.
The officials told Reuters that evidence had been obtained that one of the bombers was a female member of the PKK who joined the militant group in 2013. She was born in 1992 and was from the eastern Turkish city of Kars, they said. The Turkish health minister, Mehmet Müezzinoglu, said the death toll had risen overnight from 34, with 71 people still being treated in hospital, of whom 15 were in a serious condition.The body of an attacker had been found at the scene, he added.
The government expects to officially identify the organisation behind the attack on Monday. The suicide bomb attack is the third such assault in the Turkish capital in five months. Last month, a similar blast killed 29 people when a suicide bomber targeted military personnel only blocks away from Sunday’s attack. The militant group Kurdistan Freedom Hawks claimed responsibility.
In its armed campaign in Turkey, the PKK has historically struck directly at the security forces and says it does not target civilians. A direct claim of responsibility for Sunday’s bombing would indicate a major tactical shift. Turkey’s president earlier vowed to defeat those responsible. “These attacks, which threaten our country’s integrity and our nation’s unity and solidarity, do not weaken our resolve in fighting terrorism but bolster our determination,” , Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
Turkish warplanes bombed camps belonging to the PKK in northern Iraq early on Monday, the army said.
At least 37 people died in Sunday’s blast, the health minister said, adding that 71 people were being treated in hospital. Of those, 15 were in serious condition.
Turkey’s president vowed to defeat those responsible for a series of attacks on Turkey in the past 18 months. “These attacks, which threaten our country’s integrity and our nation’s unity and solidarity, do not weaken our resolve in fighting terrorism but bolster our determination,” , Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
“Our people should not worry, the struggle against terrorism will for certain end in success and terrorism will be brought to its knees.”“Our people should not worry, the struggle against terrorism will for certain end in success and terrorism will be brought to its knees.”
Less than a month ago, a car bomb killed 29 people and wounded at least 60 others in Ankara. The militant Kurdistan Freedom Hawks claimed responsibility for the attack and said the bombing was in retaliation for ongoing security operations in the predominantly Kurdish south-east. It said the attacks would continue. Müezzinoglu said Turkey would wipe out all terrorists operating on its soil.
Tak says it has split from the PKK, although experts who study Kurdish militants say the two organisations are affiliated. Early on Monday, Turkey scrambled fighter jets to attack Kurdish rebel targets. The state-run Anatolia news agency reported that warplanes struck arms depots and PKK shelters in the mountainous Qandil and Gara regions in northern Iraq, where the PKK’s high command is based. Quoting army officials, the news agency said the targets were hit “with precision”.
Meanwhile, Turkish police carried out raids in the southern city of Adana, where 36 suspected PKK members were taken into custody. Separately, 20,000 police officers and soldiers launched a large-scale security operation against Kurdish militants in the town of Yüksekova, close to the Iranian and Iraqi borders. A blanket curfew had earlier been issued for Yüksekova and Nusaybin, another town in the south-east. Large numbers of tanks and armoured vehicles were deployed to both towns. Many residents have already fled their homes.
The Turkish government has been imposing similar curfews in several cities in the south-east, violently cracking down on Kurdish militants there who have dug trenches, planted explosives and set up barricades. Human rights organisations have raised serious concerns over human rights violations due to the massive security operations, and said scores of civilians have died in the crossfire. Tens of thousands of people have already been displaced by the violence.
The renewed conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK has laid waste to entire towns and neighbourhoods in the south-east since the breakdown of a ceasefire last year.
Reuters contributed to this reportReuters contributed to this report