Obama calls on Turkey, Kurdish YPG to show reciprocal restraint

A popular Islamist interpretation of society, politics and history wants “to close the parenthesis” (in the words of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu) that was opened a century ago with World War I. The Turkish government under the influence of this outlook approached Syria without sufficient information on the internal dynamics and complex network of foreign state and sub-state actors that have torn the country asunder.

The odd thing is that Turkey is on hostile terms with three actors in Syria, namely the PYD, ISIL and the Syrian (Assad’s) Army, while receiving little support from friends.

At least 28 people were killed and 61 others were left wounded after a deadly attack in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, on Wednesday evening.

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the incident, the government claimed it was a “terrorist” attack, courtesy of CNN.

Davutoglu also said, in a briefing to reporters broadcast live on television, that the Turkish Kurdish militant group TAK had claimed the attack as a “proxy” to shield the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia.

But Turkey has recently pressed the US on its support for the YPG and has even suggested the Americans choose between its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally and a group Ankara considers a terrorist outfit.

“We know there are people who have conducted such acts before as retaliation of massacres in Kurdistan”, Bayik said in an interview with the PKK-affiliated Firat News Agency.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition activist group that monitors the 5-year-old civil war, said the Syria Democratic Forces – which is dominated by YPG fighters – had seized eight villages around the town of Hol in the past 24 hours.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, however, named the bomber as Abdulbaki Sonmez. “The side that we think everybody needs to be on is the counter-Daesh side”, he said, referring to the Islamic State. Rights groups have raised serious concerns over the operation in the town, which has been placed under a curfew that prevents journalists and observers from entering. The government has said the PYD and YPG were responsible for the attack.

The Turkish military said it was targeting “top figures” from the PKK in Thursday’s airstrikes.

Authorities believe a bomb-laden vehicle caused the blast, Kiliclar said, according to Anadolu.

The U.S. already lists the PKK as a terrorist group.

Obama expressed his condolences to Erdogan over the bombing in the Turkish capital, the White House said.

Davutoglu on Saturday again criticised U.S. support for Kurdish fighters in Syria, and appealed to Washington to “show solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism”.

Ankara appears increasingly uneasy over the group’s recent gains across its border and has continued to shell the militia despite global calls for it to stop.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Cabinet members laid carnations at the site of the bombing on Friday morning while funerals and commemoration ceremonies were held for the 28 victims.