Istanbul blast: Suspect’s alleged hyperlinks with Kurdish group YPG places highlight on US
6 min readIn a latest video launched on social media, Turkish police could be seen nabbing the primary suspect, sporting a “New York” t-shirt, from her house only a day after the horrific bombing at Istiklal Avenue, a preferred buying vacation spot for vacationers in Istanbul.
Turkish policemen attempt to safe the world after a robust explosion of unknown origin shook the busy buying road of Istiklal in Istanbul, on November 13, 2022. (Photo: AFP)
By Bidisha Saha: Turkey has claimed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and People’s Defense Units (YPG) militant group from Syria are accountable for the blast on November 13 that has killed 6 individuals and injured 81 to date. Although PKK and YPG have denied such allegations, the connection between the US and its funded YPG is underneath scrutiny, owing to which Turkey has even refused to just accept condolences from the nation.
SYRIAN SUSPECT ADMITS CONNECTION WITH PKK AND YPG
The fundamental suspect is a Special Intelligence Officer of “Syrian nationality”, as per the police assertion to a personal tv community. They additionally claimed that the suspect had acquired orders from PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group underneath Ankara and skilled underneath YPG. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot however is part of US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces that fought the IS (Islamic State) militants in northern Syria. Police have additionally detained 46 different individuals in reference to the incident.
IS YPG CONNECTED TO THE US?
The People’s Defense Units (YPG) have been fashioned in 2011 to defend the individuals of Rojava in the course of the civil struggle towards assaults from the Syrian regime and different reactionary forces. It is affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
The United States has provided assist to YPG in its battle towards the IS militia however repeatedly denied the declare of Turkey that it’s a part of the PKK. Earlier at a press briefing in 2016, Mark C Toner, Deputy Spokesperson of Washington, DC mentioned “our belief is that the YPG is not connected to the PKK, which we have designated as a foreign terrorist organization. On the contrary, we believe the YPG, as well as other forces in Syria, in northern Syria, are effectively taking the fight to ISIL and we’re going to continue to support them with our advice and assist operations there.”
BRIEF HISTORY OF TURKEY’S OPPOSITION TO YPG
In September 2016, US spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force, Colonel John Dorrian confirmed that the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), together with the YPG, was additionally a part of the “vetted forces” skilled within the “Syria Train & Equip fund” program and can be equipped with weapons.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the transfer by saying that “By giving them weapons, you’re endangering our future”
In response, the US spokesperson of the anti-ISIL coalition said that they “carefully monitor where that ammunition goes”, and that these weapons have been solely used within the marketing campaign towards ISIL.
In 2017, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned “The PKK terrorists who are responsible for the last terrorist attacks, suicide bomb attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, all came from YPG camps in Syria,” warning that the YPG is “just an extension” of the PKK.
YPG/PKK BEHIND TAKSIM SQUARE BLAST?
Interior Minister of Turkey Suleyman Soylu spoke to the media on Monday, saying, “Our assessment is that the order for the deadly terror attack came from Ayn al-Arab in northern Syria, where the PKK/YPG has its Syrian headquarters”. He has blamed the militants from the Kurdistan Workers’ get together (PKK) and the People’s Defense Units (YPG).
İçiÅŸleri Bakanı Soylu: (Ä°stiklal’de patlama) Bombayı bırakan kiÅŸi gözaltına alındı. Elde ettiÄŸimiz bulgular çerçevesinde PKK/PYD terör örgütü. Bize bu acıyı yaÅŸatanların daha misli ve kat kat acıyı yaÅŸayabilecekleri bir karşılığı yakın bir zamanda onlara göstereceÄŸiz. pic.twitter.com/1gM4kdCLHp
— TRT Haber Canlı (@trthabercanli) November 14, 2022
Soylu additionally added that Turkey “will not accept messages of condolence” from the United States.
âTerör saldırısını tertipleyeni de yakaladıokay.âž
âEÄŸer yakalamasaydıokay bugün Yunanistan’a kaçacaklardı.âž
âAmerikan BüyükelçiliÄŸi’nin taziye dilemesini kabul etmiyoruz, reddediyoruz.âž
ðŸ“#Taksim Basın Açıklaması pic.twitter.com/cRN4a64YmK
— Süleyman Soylu (@suleymansoylu) November 14, 2022
The United States launched an announcement on November 13 condemning the assault and expressing condolences, “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our NATO Ally Turkiye in countering terrorism.”
The Presidential Communication Director of Turkey, Fahrettin Altun, mentioned, “The international community must pay attention. Terror attacks against our civilians are direct and indirect consequences of some countries’ support for terror groups. They must immediately cease their direct and indirect support if they want Türkiye’s friendship.”
The worldwide neighborhood should listen. Terror assaults towards our civilians are direct and oblique penalties of some international locations’ assist for terror teams. They should instantly stop their direct and oblique assist if they need Türkiye’s friendship.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) November 14, 2022
SYRIAN RESPONSE ON THE ALLEGATIONS
The commander of Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, has denied allegations that the Kurdish-led SDF was concerned within the terrorist assault on Sunday, as reported by Reuters.
The YPG additionally issued its personal assertion on its official web site on Monday. “We categorically deny any link to Ahlam al-Bashir, the perpetrator of the terrorist attack,” mentioned Nouri Mahmoud, a spokesperson.
ARREST OF AHLAM ALBASHIR
The footage posted on Twitter by an OSINT deal with reveals Turkish police forces coming into the home of the girl and nabbing her into custody.
Other CCTV pictures on social media present the suspect fleeing from Istiklal Avenue on Sunday with just a few roses in her hand, moments earlier than the blast that induced an enormous wreck at a busy buying road, wounding at the least 81 individuals.
Turkish police, in its assertion, has named the suspect Ahlam Albashir, who’s a Special Intelligence Officer skilled by the YPG in Syria as admitted throughout interrogation. She has claimed to take orders from the Kurdish-led PKK in Kobani, Syria its headquarters, and entered the nation illegally by means of Afrin.
#Taksim İstiklal Caddesinde meydana gelen Bombalı Terör Saldırısını gerçekleştiren terörist YAKALANDI🚨
Olayla ilgili başlatılan çalışmalar çokay yönlü olarak devam etmektedir. pic.twitter.com/CniGox6r4u
— Ä°stanbul Emniyet Müdürlüğü (@istanbul_EGM) November 14, 2022
As per a Turkish information company, police examined 1200 CCTV cameras within the Taksim Square space of Istanbul to catch the terrorist. The camouflage pants that she wore in the course of the bombing incident have been additionally present in the home she was caught by the police.
Geolocated utilizing visible indicators at Taksim Square
The Governor of Istanbul, Ali Yerlikaya took to Twitter to announce the loss of life toll and particulars after the explosion.
Ä°stiklal Caddesindeki patlamada;
Arzu ÖZSOY ve kızı Yağmur UÇAR ,
Yusuf MEYDAN ve kızı Ecrin MEYDAN,
Adem TOPKARA ve eşi Mukaddes Elif TOPKARA adlı vatandaşlarımız hayatını kaybetmiştir.
Hayatını kaybeden vatandaÅŸlarımıza Allah’tan rahmet, ailelerine baÅŸsaÄŸlığı diliyorum.
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) November 14, 2022
Among those that died have been social employee Yusuf Meydan and his nine-year-old daughter, Ecrin. They have been vacationers who visited from Adana in Turkey to Istanbul for the engagement of Yusuf’s brother. At the time of the explosion, his spouse was inside a store and incurred accidents.
The PKK terrorist assault in Istanbul killed 9-year-old Ecrin (heart) and her father Yusuf Meydan.
The household had traveled to Istanbul to have fun the engagement of Yusuf’s brother. pic.twitter.com/7US4f6G0Jt
— ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) November 14, 2022
Edited By:
Rishabh Sharma
Published On:
Nov 15, 2022
