Syrian man behind deadly Ankara car bomb attack

A spokesman for the State Department said on Thursday Washington was not in a position to confirm or deny Turkey’s charge the YPG was behind the Ankara bombing.

He said: “A direct link between the attack and the YPG has been established”. “Our fullest sympathy goes to the Turkish people and authorities”, she said. It said that despite Turkey’s “provocations and attacks” on Kurdish areas in Syria, it has never retaliated against Turkey. He also accused the Syrian government of being directly responsible for the blast.

“We will continue our fight against the pawns that carry out such attacks, which know no moral or humanitarian bounds, and the forces behind them with more determination every day”, Erdogan said in a statement. Earlier this week, Turkey began shelling areas inside Syria held by a PKK affiliate, the YPG, which Turkey also considers a terrorist organization. “NATO Allies stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism”.

Davutoglu said 70 fighters had been killed in the strikes.

Turkey has already initiated airstrikes against the PKK in northern Iraq.

Police told The Associated Press they are investigating the cause of the explosion.It was not clear who was behind the bombing Wednesday.

On the other hand, if the guilt of PKK is proven in the implementation of terror in Ankara, the incident should be seen as a response to the actions carried out by the Turkish armed forces for months against Turkey’s Kurdish regions. The claim couldn’t be verified.

A report in another pro-government newspaper, Sabah, said the man had links to the PKK insurgent group, which has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in southeastern Turkey.

An explosion hit military vehicles at an intersection in Ankara on Wednesday evening, in what the military called a terror attack.

“The Turkish government is now charging YPG with responsibility for blast in Ankara”.

“Turkey will not shy away from using its right to self-defense at any time, any place or any occasion”, Erdoğan said. Hundreds of people have been killed in renewed fighting following the collapse of the peace process and tens of thousands have been displaced.

He appeared to be referring to a US air drop of 28 bundles of military supplies in late 2014 meant for Iraqi Kurdish fighters near the Syrian city of Kobani.

The route across Turkey has become the only path for rebels to their north Aleppo enclave after recent Syrian army advances closed the main route into rebel territory.