October 25, 2024

SHARE |

Terrorist Attack in Ankara Leaves Türkiye on High Alert

AP Photo/Ali Unal

On Wednesday, two assailants—a man and a woman—arrived at the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TUSAS) headquarters on the outskirts of the Turkish capital of Ankara in a commandeered taxi. After killing the taxi driver, they proceeded to the defense company's premises, where they detonated explosives and opened fire, killing four individuals, including a security personnel member and a mechanical engineer, and leaving 22 injured. Both attackers were killed during the assault.

In a statement yesterday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya identified the perpetrators as members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, or PKK), a Kurdish militant organization initially seeking independence from Türkiye but now aiming for greater autonomy and rights within the country. The group is classified as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the European Union, and the United States.

The PKK has neither confirmed nor denied involvement; however, the attack does seem to align closely with the PKK's established tactics and objectives. Specifically, the PKK is known for its blend of guerrilla and terrorist strategies, employing insurgent weaponry including improvised explosive devices, car bombs, mortars, and small arms. It has also conducted suicide bombings since 1996 and has traditionally focused on targeting Turkish security forces. The PKK claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a government building in Ankara in October 2023, which left the perpetrators dead and two officers wounded.

This pattern of attacks fits with the recent incident at TUSAS, one of Türkiye's largest defense companies that produces armed drones and fighter jets. These technologies have been pivotal in Türkiye's military campaigns against Kurdish militants, with TUSAS's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) playing a crucial role in counterinsurgency operations.

The PKK is part of a wider network that seeks international legitimacy and Kurdish autonomy, and the emergence of an offshoot of the group – the Democratic Union Party (PYD) – has even complicated the relationship with between Türkiye and the U.S. The PYD-U.S. relationship has evolved over the years, particularly as the PYD has embedded in the Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), a Kudrish-led coalition in Syria. The U.S. has partnered with the group on counterterrorism activities to combat Islamic State in Syria, and provided arms, training, and support to PYD forces.

Türkiye launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes in response to the recent suicide bombing, with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler confirming that the country’s security forces had destroyed 47 targets –– 29 in Iraq and 18 in Syria. These attacks targeted PKK bases in Iraq and its affiliates in Syria particularly the People's Protection Units (YPG), one of the PKK’s closest affiliates which constitutes the core of the SDF. Though the United States has traditionally viewed the PKK and the SDF as separate entities, particularly given the SDF’s role in helping the U.S. fight Islamic State, the Turkish government has historically grouped the two together due to their ideological and historical ties.

The Turkish airstrikes in northern and eastern Syria have so far killed 12 civilians, including two children, and wounded 25 others, according to an SDF statement yesterday. SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi also condemned the strikes in an X (Twitter) post on Wednesday, stating Türkiye “indiscriminately and unjustifiably bombards our areas, targeting civilian, service, and health centers. This is a war crime. We have repeatedly shown our readiness for dialogue. Meanwhile, we affirm that our forces are ready to defend our people and land."

Turkish authorities also announced a broadcast ban in the aftermath of the attack, restricting access to social media platforms, including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, stating it was an effort to avoid promoting any kind of “terrorist propaganda.” Türkiye frequently imposes internet restrictions, particularly during times of crisis or political sensitivity. The government has a history of blocking social media platforms following terrorist attacks, political unrest, or natural disasters to control the flow of information, including following the 2015 Ankara bombing, the 2016 Istanbul airport attack, and the devastating 2023 earthquakes.

Türkiye has justified this kind of action as necessary to countering “misinformation” or maintaining public order, but others––including human rights groups such as Amnesty International––have been more critical, claiming that these kinds of actions are part of a broader strategy by the Turkish government to exert control over digital communication channels. Some critics argue that it creates an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship among journalists and citizens, as they face potential legal repercussions for expressing dissenting views online.

The attack also took place just a day after Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Türkiye's far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), proposed that Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, could potentially receive parole if he agrees to renounce violence and dissolve his organization. The PKK’s potential involvement in such an act of violence thus came as a surprise to some, especially as Öcalan had appeared open to peace talks, a sentiment his nephew echoed in an X post earlier this week.

It is unclear what impact this week’s attack will have on a potential peace process. Despite ongoing violence, some experts believe meaningful negotiations remain possible. Certain analysts have suggested that the Middle Eastern conflicts and regional dynamics may induce greater openness from the Turkish government, which seeks domestic stability in a tense geopolitical environment. Meanwhile, sustained military pressure, including the recent retaliatory strikes, has systematically eroded the operational capabilities of the PKK, potentially making the group more receptive to negotiations.

On the other hand, the history of Türkiye and the PKK has been fraught with failed peace processes and ongoing military conflict. For instance, between 2013 and 2015, Öcalan and the Turkish government held negotiations to resolve the decades-long conflict through a formal peace process. However, the talks broke down due to mutual distrust and domestic tensions, particularly over Türkiye's aggressive military actions against Kurdish positions in Syria, driven by the rise of the PYD. After the collapse of the peace process, violence escalated sharply, with the PKK expanding its attacks beyond southeastern Türkiye and the Turkish government responding with aggressive military actions, including a significant offensive in 2019 that resulted in hundreds of casualties and displaced tens of thousands of people. With this familiar cycle of failed talks followed by violence seemingly repeating itself —highlighted by Türkiye's swift reaction to the Ankara attack—the prospect of lasting peace remains uncertain.