Turkish Prime Minister Claims Syrian Kurds Following PKK Orders

Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), considered by Ankara to be behind a recent car bomb attack, are taking orders from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that Turkey regards as a terrorist organization, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On February 17, a car bomb exploded outside a military housing complex near the parliament building in central Ankara, killing 28 and injuring 61. Following the attack, Ankara launched security operations in several provinces throughout the country.

The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) militants claimed responsibility for the attack. This group is a PKK offshoot.

Speaking at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Davutoglu said that TAK's claiming responsibility for the attack was just an attempt to exonerate the YPG, as quoted by the Daily Sabah newspaper.

Turkish authorities believe that Syrian Kurds have links to PKK, which fights for Kurdish independence from Turkey.