Turkey calls for unconditional U.S. support against Kurdish YPG

A splinter Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks or TAK, has since claimed responsibility for the atrocity. “We must all assist the security forces”, he said.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), who have been linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), said the attack was revenge for operations by the Turkish military in the southeast of the country.

Turkey had blamed a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia group for the attack, saying they had acted in collaboration with the PKK.

The PKK is considered a terror organization by Turkey and its allies.

But their equipment was taken by the militant group which has been fighting against the Turkish state since 1984.

But Max Abrahms, professor of political science at Northeastern University and a member of the US Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, said the US would “not back away from the collaboration with the YPG even if attacks in Turkey are attributed to Kurdish terrorists”.

“On February 17 in the evening a suicide attack was carried out by a sacrifice warrior on a military convoy of the fascist Turkish Republic in Ankara…”

The prime minister added that 22 suspects had been detained over the bombing.

Washington, which does not consider the YPG a terrorist organisation, has said it is not in a position to confirm or deny Ankara’s charge the militia was behind the bombing.

The PYD’s offensive has severed Turkey’s supply lines to Syrian rebels around Aleppo province, and in response, Turkish artillery has shelled YPG positions in northern Syria the entire week.

“President Obama expressed concern about recent Syrian regime advances in northwest Syria and urgently called for a halt to actions that heighten tensions with Turkey and with moderate opposition forces in northern Syria, and undermine our collective efforts in northern Syria to degrade and defeat ISIL”, the statement said.

The Turkish capital was hit by a large bomb attack on Wednesday.