The investigation into the attack that killed six people in Istanbul has only just begun, but the matter already seems clear to the Turkish police. They immediately blamed Kurdish militias for the attack. Experts are critical of the government’s approach.
Shortly after the blast, police released photos of a woman in handcuffs, slippers and a New York sweater. She is said to have planted the bomb in the popular shopping street Istiklal. Moments later, the Syrian confessed to having received her “order” from the “PKK/YPG/PYD”. From Turkey’s point of view, the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG and its political arm PYD are offshoots of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK and also “terrorist organizations”. On Monday, both denied any responsibility for the bloody attack, which also left more than 80 injured.
News blackout quickly imposed in the country
The fact that the reading by the Turkish government has long been the only account of events that people in Turkey read and hear is due, for example, to a news ban that was quickly imposed on the media in the country. According to the official statement, the blackout was imposed to prevent fear and panic. Exceptions were only made for official announcements.
Shortly after the murder, social media sites such as Instagram or Twitter also loaded slowly or only with the help of a VPN. “The bandwidth restriction has been ordered by the President of Turkey and implemented by the head of the Telecommunications Authority (BTK),” said cyber rights activist Yaman Akdeniz. The entire process is secret and not subject to judicial or judicial approval.
Calls for new military operation in Northern Syria
“It’s an authoritarian regime,” said Berk Esen, a political scientist at Istanbul’s Sabanci University, “it relies on a media blackout when you’re at risk of harsh criticism.”
Even before the investigation was completed, Turkish officials had called for another military operation in northern Syria, Berkay Mandirici of the International Crisis Group said. A plan that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been announcing since the middle of the year. Ankara regularly engages in military action against all three groups – in southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq and northern Syria.
The US would support “terrorist organizations”.
With its alleged support for, for example, the YPG, Ankara also justified the veto of NATO’s northern expansion with Sweden and Finland. The United States, on the other hand, sees the YPG as a partner in the Syrian civil war in the fight against the Islamic State terror militia. Against this background, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu accused Washington of supporting “terrorist organizations”. He therefore rejects condolences from the embassy and consulate.
Mandirici said it remains to be seen whether the Turkish investigation will provide further evidence for the allegations of guilt by the PKK/YPG. The terrorist militia Islamic State or the terrorist network Al Qaeda and sympathizers of these groups cannot be ruled out as possible perpetrators for the time being. There are estimated to be thousands of ISIS-affiliated people in Turkey, both Turkish nationals and foreigners who have traveled from Syria and Iraq. “The Istiklal attack in behavior and target mirrors previous IS attacks in method and target in Turkey in 2015/2016,” says Mandirici.
Political Scientist: Assassination Reveals A Vulnerability
In any case, the murder showed a clear security hole, according to political scientist Esen. According to the police, the main suspect traveled illegally from northern Syria to Turkey and hundreds of kilometers to the metropolis on the Bosphorus. You were able to plant and detonate a bomb in a heavily guarded street. That reflects on the government and especially on the Interior Ministry, Esen said.
The attack also reminded people in Turkey of the events of 2015/2016, when a series of deadly attacks shook the country. Looking at the polls, the ruling AKP under Erdogan was able to take advantage of the situation at the time. At that point, she was able to win back a majority she had just lost. This is currently also fueling speculation in Turkey. Esen doesn’t want to come. The situation can also be reversed, for example if the opposition could benefit from the government’s failure. Turkey will hold elections in June.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
