The Ankara Terrorist Attack (February 2016)

Turkey’s President, Tayip Erdogan, says he is sure that it was the Kurds of Syria i.e. the PYD and YPG, who organized the terrorist attack in Ankara. Note that the YPG is the military wing of the PYD party. Erdogan is expecting Turkey’s allies, especially the US, to recognize PYD and YPG as terrorist organization.

Map 1 Kurdistan (Brown Area)

On the other hand the Americans are saying that they are not sure about who is responsible for the Ankara terrorist attack. The Americans should be right, because the Kurds of Syria are supported by the US, and do not have a motive to carry out attacks in Turkey, because that would make it much harder for the Americans to send them weapons. On the other hand, the Kurds of Turkey (PKK), who are supported by Russia, and who have been designated as terrorists by the United States, have a motive to carry out attacks in Turkey. After all they are already at war with the Turkish government at Eastern Turkey (Kurdistan of Turkey). What complicates the situation is that the Kurds of Syria and Turkey, who do not have oil and gas, are cooperating against Turkey, while the Kurds of Iraq (KRG) need Turkey to export their oil and natural gas.

To prove his allegations, Erdogan is saying that a Syrian Kurd, the 20 year old Salih Neccar, a member of YPG, took part in the Ankara terrorist attack. But given that the Kurds of Syria and the Kurds of Turkey are connected, the presence of a Syrian Kurd does not prove that the attack was not carried out by the PKK.

I am not sure about what is happening, but I am sure that if the Kurds of Syria carry out terrorist attacks in Turkey, they will make it much harder for the United States to go against their ally Turkey, in order to supply them with weapons and money to fight ISIS in Syria. Therefore it seems more plausible that the terrorist attack has been organized by the Kurds of Turkey. However what further complicates the issue is that there might be some circles within the Kurds of Syria who want the Kurds of Syria closer to Russia and away from the United States. These circles would not hesitate to carry out attacks in Turkey, in order to make it harder for the US help the Syrian Kurds, opening the road to Russia. Therefore anything goes.

Articles

“US has not yet assigned blame for Turkey attack, White House says”, February 2016

http://www.todayszaman.com/latest-news_us-has-not-yet-assigned-blame-for-turkey-attack-white-house-says_412712.html

“Erdoğan says no doubt YPG behind Ankara attack, urges allies to label PYD as terrorist group”, February 2016

http://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_erdogan-says-no-doubt-ypg-behind-ankara-attack-urges-allies-to-label-pyd-as-terrorist-group_412763.html