Turkey says bombers came from Syria, threatens more cross-border strikes

Ankara: Two terrorists who blew a bomb in front of government offices in Ankara over the weekend were from Syria, Turkey said, adding that all Kurdish installations in Syria and Iraq are legitimate military targets, Al Jazeera reported.

A national security conference was held by the Turkish government on Wednesday to plan its reaction to the assault on Sunday.

One of the assailants was shot dead by Turkish police, while the other perished in an apparent suicide bombing outside Turkey’s Interior Ministry. Two policemen sustained injuries as a result of the attack.

In reaction to the incident, Turkey’s military launched airstrikes in northern Iraq and carried out a number of raids around the nation this week, arresting scores of people who claimed ties to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey and its Western allies have designated as a “terrorist group,” reported Al Jazeera.

The terrorists entered Turkey through Syria and underwent training there, according to foreign minister Hakan Fidan, who also indicated that Turkey will respond in a “very precise” manner.

“All infrastructure, superstructure and energy facilities that belong to the PKK and the YPG, especially in Iraq and Syria, are legitimate targets of our security forces, armed forces and intelligence units from now on,” he said.

Turkish Ministry of Defense in a statement said that the Turkish warplanes struck targets affiliated with a Kurdish rebel organisation in northern Iraq after the separatist group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Turkish capital, Ankara, New York Times reported on Sunday.

According to The New York Times, the Turkish airstrikes destroyed 20 targets, consisting of caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses” belonging to the separatist Kurdistan workers party, or PKK.

“Many terrorists were neutralized,” the ministry added.

Earlier on Sunday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that two police officers were injured after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in front of the ministry building in Ankara, Al Jazeera reported.

In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Yerlikaya stated, “At around 09.30, 2 terrorists who came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs, carried out a bomb attack.”

He further said, “One of the terrorists blew himself up and the other terrorist was neutralized. During the fire, 2 of our police officers were slightly injured. I wish a speedy recovery to our heroes. Our fight will continue relentlessly until the last terrorist is neutralized.” 

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