The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) denied on Monday any involvement in the attack that killed at least six people in Istanbul on Sunday, and of which the Turkish authorities claim responsibility.
“It is well known to all that we have no connection to this fact, that we do not target civilians and reject actions that do so,” the PKK said in a statement published by the Firat news agency, which is close to the movement. .
“We are a movement that is waging a just and legitimate liberation struggle. (…) Therefore, it is out of the question to attack civilians in any way in Turkey,” added the statement signed by the Center for the Defense of the People. of the PKK.
The Kurdish armed movement also accused the Turkish government of having “dark plans” and of “showing Kobane as a target”.
Turkish Interior Minister Soumeylan Soylu accused the PKK of being responsible for the attack on Monday and announced the arrest of 22 suspects, including the person who allegedly planted the explosive.
“According to our conclusions, the terrorist organization PKK is responsible” for the attack, accused the minister.
“The person who planted the bomb has been arrested… According to our findings, the terrorist organization PKK is responsible” for the attack, Soylu added, quoted by Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency and local television stations.
The attack took place on Sunday in Istiklal Avenue, a commercial area of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and the country’s economic capital.
The attack, which has not yet been claimed, left six dead and 81 injured, half of whom were hospitalized. All the victims are Turkish nationals.
The minister also accused Kurdish forces that control most of northeast Syria, considered by Ankara to be terrorists, of being behind the attack.
“We believe that the attack order was given by Kobane,” he said.
In the Battle of Kobane in 2015, Kurdish forces managed to repel the extremist group Islamic State (IS). The city is under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the PKK-based People’s Protection Units (YPG) are a major component.
Source: TSF
