Turkey: Authorities claim February 1 explosion in Ankara to be PYD attack /update 1

Event

On Friday, February 2, Turkish authorities claimed that a blast at the Ankara Tax Chamber (Çukurambar neighborhood, Ankara) on the evening of Thursday, February 1 (local time), was a Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) attack. According to the Ankara governor's office, a suspected PYD militant allegedly entered the Ankara Tax Chamber before the explosion and left a bag at the entrance of the building, which was believed to have contained an improvised explosive device (IED). The explosion left at least three people wounded.

Turkish authorities subsequently launched an investigation into the incident on Friday and pursued three suspects, including the alleged perpetrator and two suspected accomplices. Police forces killed one of the suspects during the investigation; in all, eight people claimed to be connected to the alleged attack were arrested by Turkish authorities in Adana, Sirnak, and Mardin provinces. Additional arrests of suspected PYD militants are possible in Turkey in the coming weeks.

Context

According to initial local media reports, a suspected gas leak caused an explosion in the boiler room of the Ankara Tax Chamber building on February 1. The building reportedly sustained extensive damage from the blast. Emergency services were deployed to the area and the situation was contained shortly after the explosion.

In general, tensions between the Turkish state and regional Kurdish populations have intensified since the launch of Operation Olive Branch on January 20. The operation targets elements of the PYD and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia - considered by Ankara as a terrorist organization and ally of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - in Kurdish-controlled northern Syria.

The PYD is a PKK-affiliated opposition party in Syria; the group founded its armed wing, the YPG, in 2004.

Advice

Individuals in Ankara are advised to monitor developments to the situation, report any suspicious objects or behavior, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.