After the attack in Ankara that killed at least five people, Turkey attacked targets in northern Syria and northern Iraq from the air. Turkey’s Defense Ministry said late Wednesday that 32 targets had been destroyed, state news agency Anadolu reported.
“Our air strikes will continue with determination.” A few hours earlier, the government had linked the attack to the banned Kurdish underground organization PKK.
Turkey regularly takes action against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), headquartered in the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq, and against the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG (People’s Protection Units) in northern Syria, which the country views as an offshoot of the PKK.
Several killed in attack
At least five people were killed and 22 injured in Wednesday’s attack on one of Turkey’s most important arms companies. The two suspected attackers were also killed, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. The attack bore the hallmarks of the PKK, the minister said. A little later, Anadolu reported on the air strikes in neighboring countries. Turkish broadcaster Rtük had imposed a news blackout over the issue.
The target of the attack, the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TUSAS), is a subsidiary of the state defense industry agency and four of the five victims were employed there. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called it a “cowardly attack” on a key figure in Turkey’s defense industry.
The approach was followed by an attack
The company is, among other things, a major producer of fighter planes and drones. According to analyst Murat Yetkin, TUSAS drones are used by Turkey in the fight against both the PKK and the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia.
The current attack took place shortly after MHP party ultranationalists surprisingly discussed the possible release of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. The MHP is Erdogan’s government partner. However, their boss Devlet Bahçeli had linked this to the disarmament of the terrorist organization.
Observers see this as a sign that a new peace process between the government and the PKK may emerge. The last attempt failed in 2015.
Conflicts go back decades
In Turkey, IS, the left-wing extremist Revolutionary People’s Liberation Front DHKP-C and the PKK have committed serious attacks in the past, including in Ankara. The PKK has been fighting the Turkish state since the 1980s. It is classified as a terrorist organization by Ankara, the European Union and the US.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
