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2016 Ankara bombing
The site of the attack, Merasim Street
Location	Ankara, Turkey
Coordinates	39°54′55″N 32°50′26″E / 39.9154°N 32.8406°E / 39.9154; 32.8406
Date	17 February 2016 18:31 (UTC+2)
Target	Military personnel
Attack type	Car bombing, suicide bombing
Deaths	12 soldiers 15 civilian employees of the military 2 other civilians 1 perpetrator Total: 30
Injured	60
Perpetrator	Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK)
Motive	Retaliation for Turkish security operations in Turkish Kurdistan

On 17 February 2016, in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, at least 30 people died and 60 were injured in a bombing. The attack targeted a convoy of shuttles carrying both civilian and military personnel working at the military headquarters during the evening rush hour as the vehicles were stopped at traffic lights at an intersection with Inönü boulevard close to Kızılay neighborhood. Many ministries, the headquarters of the army and the Turkish Parliament are located in the neighborhood where the attack occurred. The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Background

In October 2015, a bombing at a peace rally in Ankara against a crackdown on Kurds in the country amidst the renewed PKK rebellion following a breakdown of the ceasefire killed over 100 people. On 13 February, Turkish shelling of Kurdish positions in response to "incoming Kurdish fire" and against the backdrop of YPG territorial gains in northern Syria led, at the request of Russia, to a UN briefing in which the president of the United Nations Security Council Rafael Carreno said that all members during the closed-door meeting expressed their concern at Turkey's actions and called on the country to "comply with international law".

Following the UNSC vote and just hours before the bombing, Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, referred to PYD as a "terrorist organisation" akin to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), DHKP-C and Al-Nusra Front and stressed that the attacks against PYD's armed wing, YPG, will continue until it stops alleged threats against Turkey's national security.Template:Source needs translation

Bombings

A car bomb detonated at 18:31 local time, while army buses carrying military personnel were waiting at traffic lights. The attack site was next to a residential block for high-ranking military personnel. Some Turkish news channels showed images of a raging fire that engulfed military vehicles after the explosion, heard several kilometres away.

Casualties

At least 30 people, including the perpetrator, died and 60 were injured as a result of the blast. The initial dead included the perpetrator, 20 soldiers, seven civilian employees of the military and a journalist. Another civilian died from his wounds in hospital on 23 February 2016. A list of the first dead was published on 18 February.

Assailant

The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) has claimed responsibility for the attack. A senior Turkish security source stated that initial signs indicated that Kurdish militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were responsible. It had previously been speculated by other security sources that the ISIL could have been responsible.

Referring to unnamed security sources, Turkish pro-government daily Yeni Şafak identified the bomber as a Syrian national named Salih Necar. Turkish prime minister Davutoğlu linked the alleged perpetrator to the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is affiliated with the YPG, denied any involvement, with co-chair Salih Muslim maintaining that "they don't consider Turkey as an enemy."

Later, Turkish authorities said that TAK has taken responsibility. Turkish papers have since alleged that an image of the so-called perpetrator Abdülbaki Sönmez (codename Zınar Raperin) released by TAK on their website, turned out to be an edited image of a Turkish blogger named M. Şafak İnan.

Reactions

Domestic

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a statement. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu cancelled planned trips to Belgium and Azerbaijan following the attack. Spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party Ömer Çelik said he condemned the attacks. Erdogan vowed retaliation against the perpetrators of the attack while Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş called it an attack on the "nation as a whole".

Oppositional Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş condemned the bombing as a "merciless attack" and wished "God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives". The Turkish Parliament failed to make a unanimous declaration. The pro-Kurdish and pro-minority HDP party condemned the bombing, with parliamentary chair İdris Baluken referring to it as a "loathsome attack"; the party disagreed with the unilaterally drafted text. The declaration was finally released by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and opposition CHP and MHP parties.

International

An EU summit in Brussels that was to focus on the issues of migrants was cancelled following the bombing. World leaders, including those from Germany, the United Kingdom and United States condemned the attack. In a joint statement, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, termed the bombing "a terrible attack". NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the attack.

See also

• Cizre operation (2015)
• Kurds in Turkey

References

1. ^ "Ankara'da askeri servis aracına bombalı saldırı". CNN Türk (in Turkish). 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
2. "Milliyet". Retrieved 19 February 2016.
3. ^ Letsch, Constanze (19 February 2016). "Kurdish militant group Tak claims responsibility for Ankara car bomb". The Guardian. The Guardian.
4. ^ Letsch, Constanze (17 February 2016). "Up to 28 killed by Ankara car bomb targeting military personnel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
5. "Turkey's capital Ankara rocked by deadly explosion".
6. "Ankara blast: Five dead after explosion in Turkish capital". BBC News.
7. Jason Hanna and Hamdi Alkhshali (17 February 2016). "Explosion strikes Turkey's capital". CNN.
8. Karam and Soguel, Zeina and Dominique (14 February 2016). "Turkey shells Kurdish positions in Syria for 2nd day". AP. Washington Post.
9. "Syria conflict: Turkey shells Kurdish militia". BBC. BBC. 13 February 2016.
10. "UN Security Council concerned by Turkey's actions in Syria, says Venezuela". Today's Zaman. Today's Zaman. 16 February 2016.
11. "The Latest: Syria accuses alliance of striking hospital". Washington Post. AP. 16 February 2016.
12. "Erdoğan'dan "YPG'yi vurmaya devam" mesajı (Erdoğan's message stating attacks on YPG will continue)" (in Turkish). Al Jazeera (Turk). 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
13. "TSK: Saldırı trafik ışıklarında meydana geldi". NTV. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
14. "At Least 20 Killed in Ankara Car Bombing Targeting Military Personnel". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
15. "Car bomb targeting military buses kills 28 in Turkish capital Ankara". euronews. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
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20. "Death toll in Ankara bombing increased to 29". Fox News Channel. Associated Press. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
21. "Şehitlerin kimlikleri belli oldu". ZAMAN. 18 February 2016.
22. Dolan, David (19 February 2016). "Kurdish militant group TAK claims responsibility for Ankara bombing". Reuters. Reuters.
23. KAPLAN, MICHAEL (19 February 2016). "Ankara Bombing Update: Kurdish Militant Group TAK Claims Responsibility For Attack". IBT.
24. "Initial signs point to PKK terrorists behind Ankara bombing: Reuters". DailySabah. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
25. "Car bomb attack on military in Turkish capital kills 28". Reuters. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
26. "Pro-government daily identifies Ankara car bomb attacker as Syrian national". Today's Zaman. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
27. "Turkish paper identifies Ankara car bomb attacker as Syrian national". Reuters. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016 – via Jerusalem Post.
28. Raziye Akkoc (18 February 2016). "Ankara bombing: Attacker is Syrian linked to Kurds and entered with refugees". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
29. Maayan Groisman (18 February 2016). "Turkey claims Ankara suicide bomber is a Syrian member of the Kurdish YPG". Retrieved 18 February 2016.
30. "Ankara blast: Turkey PM says Syria Kurds to blame". BBC News. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
31. "Milliyet: TAK yapti!". Retrieved 19 February 2016.
32. Piri Medya (19 February 2016). "YPG'yi photoshop yaptılar". Yeni Şafak.
33. "Photoshop'la YPG'yi yaptılar". Star.com.tr.
34. "Habertürk: Başsavcılık, Ankara saldırısını üstlenen TAK'ı yalanladı". t24.com.tr.
35. "Car Bomb Kills 28 in Turkey; Erdogan Vows Revenge". VOA.
36. "Ankara attack: 28 people killed, 61 wounded in car bomb targeting Turkey's military". First Post.
37. "Turkey's opposition parties condemn Ankara blast". Hürriyet Daily News. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
38. "Turkish parliament fails to make a joint declaration after Ankara attack". Hürriyet Daily News. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
39. "News from The Associated Press". hosted.ap.org. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
40. ^ "World condemns terror attack at heart of Ankara". TodaysZaman. Retrieved 18 February 2016.

External links

• Media related to 2016 Ankara bombing at Wikimedia Commons

• Çankaya, Ankara
• 2016 in Turkey
• 21st century in Ankara
• Car and truck bombings in Turkey
• Kurdistan Freedom Falcons attacks
• Mass murder in 2016
• Mass murder in Turkey
• Terrorist incidents in Ankara
• Terrorist incidents in Turkey in 2016