Turkey detains 20 people linked to Kurdish militants over Ankara bombing

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The authorities in Turkey have apprehended 20 individuals who are suspected to have connections to the Kurdish extremist organization that stated they were responsible for the recent self-sacrificing attack on a public facility in Ankara.

On Monday, Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister of Turkey, announced that over 25 "missions" were performed in Istanbul and Kırklareli, which is located in the far north-west region of the country.

The detentions happened the day following the assault by two suicide bombers on the Ministry of the Interior in Turkey, in a bustling area known for its concentration of government agencies and commercial establishments. According to Turkish authorities, one of the suspects detonated while the other was shot and killed by law enforcement. During the attack, two police officers were injured.

The PKK, an organization that has been engaged in a bloody rebellion against Turkey for numerous years, has admitted responsibility for the recent attack. As a result, the Turkish military conducted airstrikes overnight on about 20 PKK locations in northern Iraq, where the group maintains its headquarters.

According to Yerlikaya, members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic party (HDP), including a spokesperson and district presidents, were detained. The Turkish government led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan alleges that the HDP is associated with the PKK and has detained numerous supporters. Nonetheless, the HDP, the third-largest political party in Turkey, refutes any ties to the PKK.

The Ankara terror attack happened on the exact day when Turkey's parliament was meeting again after the summer break. When the parliament began on Sunday, Erdoğan gave a talk to the lawmakers. He referred to the bombing as the "final attack of terrorism," looking to emphasize that the people who threaten the safety of Turkish citizens will never succeed. He also mentioned that these perpetrators are very cowardly and will not achieve their goals.

According to ANF News, which has connections to the separatist organization, the responsibility for the attack was claimed by "Immortals Battalion," a section of the PKK. Turkish officials later declared that at least one person involved in the attack was affiliated with the PKK.

The organisation known as PKK, classified as a terrorist group by the USA, European Union, and Turkey, announced that the occurrence was specifically planned to happen at the exact moment parliament was being inaugurated, as reported by ANF.

During the general election in May, security was a major topic, as Erdoğan often spoke passionately about his efforts to combat the PKK, ISIS, and a religious group that Turkey holds responsible for a failed coup in 2016. His rallies often highlighted these specific issues.

A new assault took place on Sunday, which happened almost a year after an explosion occurred in one of Istanbul's trading neighborhoods. That attack led to the death of six people and left many injured. According to Turkey, Kurdish organizations connected to the PKK were responsible for the previous attack. However, it's important to note that ISIS and radical leftist groups have also carried out bombings in Turkey in the past.

Turkey experienced a series of serious terror attacks from 2015 to 2017, which included multiple bombings in the capital city. Additionally, Ankara was a major location targeted during the unsuccessful 2016 coup effort, which resulted in damage to the parliament building.

Last Sunday, a large number of police officers, including some armed with rifles and riot shields, were monitoring downtown Ankara. The parliament building was safeguarded by heavily fortified vehicles, while a helicopter was hovering above.

The authority that strictly oversees the media and online communication, enforced rules on nearby media sources and repeatedly cautioned against disseminating misleading information.

Friends and supporters showed solidarity. Charles Michel, who presides over the European Council, spoke out against the vile effort to harm and kill the citizens of Turkey.

The British ambassador, Jill Morris, has expressed her condemnation for all types of terrorism and has made a clear statement affirming the support of the UK towards their friend and ally, Turkey, in the fight against it.

The US embassy expressed its disapproval towards the assault on a Nato ally via a message on social media platform X. It stated that it supports Türkiye in the fight against terrorism.