Contrary to Gov’t Claim, Kurdish Group TAK Claims Ankara Attack

A Kurdish militant group identifying itself as the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) claimed responsibility Friday for Wednesday’s bombing in Turkey’s capital of Ankara that killed 28 people, according to a statement on its website. The deaths come a day after a suicide bombing claimed the lives of at least 28 people and wounded dozens of others.

He added that his country “reserves the right to take any measure against the Syrian regime” after Turkish warplanes hit buildings used by the YPG and its political wing, the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) overnight.

Experts are concerned the government, headed by President Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has found itself in a toxic mix of being unable to focus on much-needed economic reforms, renewed fighting with Kurdish militias, the rising threat of Islamic State forces, and a growing refugee crisis – all with the Syrian war on its doorstep.

Turkey’s military said after that its jets conducted cross-border raids against Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq hours after the attack and struck a group of about 60 to 70 PKK rebels.

U.S.-backed PYD leader Salih Muslim has denied his group was behind the attack, and he warned Turkey against taking ground action in Syria. Turkey has been firing artillery over the border at the YPG since last week and seeks to halt their advances against Syrian opposition groups in that border region.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), who broke from the PKK in 2004, released a statement on Friday saying that the Wednesday attack was in retaliation for Turkish military attacks in the southeast town of Cizre.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on Saturday called on the United States to give unconditional support in the fight against Syrian Kurdish militants, illustrating growing tension between Ankara and Washington over policy in northern Syria. The government has said the PYD and YPG were responsible for the attack. The commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal military secrets, said a mixed coalition of rebel fighters were permitted to pass into Turkey and enter Syria again in order to prevent the city of Azaz from falling into SDF hands.

Turkish authorities earlier detained three more suspects in connection with the bombing.

On the ground, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance seized the northeastern town of Al-Shadadi from IS, with backing from US-led air strikes, a monitor and Kurdish sources said.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu vowed to continue the military efforts against Kurdish groups in Syria.

Turkish artillery has been shelling PYD and YPG positions along its border in Syria, apparently concerned by recent gains there by the militias.

But Turkey is hoping to galvanise American support in the wake of the Ankara attack for a ground operation into Syria with its allies, analysts say.