Turkish authorities have begun security operations against the PKK members in south-eastern Turkey and in Iraq.
The moves come as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed a crackdown on terror after March 13 attack in Ankara that killed at least 36 people.
A suspected bomber, who also died in the blast, was a female member of the PKK, security sources said.
Four people were held over the bombings in the south-eastern city of Sanliurfa, according to Turkish media.
Officials were quoted as saying the car used in the bombing was traced to a showroom there.
A curfew was declared in three towns in south-east Turkey, while warplanes struck PKK camps in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Eleven warplanes carried out air strikes on 18 targets including ammunition dumps and shelters in the Qandil and Gara sectors, the army said. The PKK (the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party) confirmed the attacks.
Meanwhile curfews have been imposed in two mainly Kurdish towns in south-eastern Turkey, Yuksekova and Nusaybin, as security operations are carried out against Kurdish militants, Anadolu news agency reports.
Another curfew is due to start in the city of Sirnak at 23:00 local time.
No group has admitted carrying out the Ankara attack, but government sources have cast suspicion on the PKK.
Interior Minister Efkan Ala said an investigation would conclude on March 14 and those responsible would be named.
Unnamed officials said the female bomber was a member of the PKK from the eastern town of Kars who joined the group in 2013.
Kurdish rebels have carried out a series of attacks on Turkish soil in recent months, and security forces have raided Kurdish areas, after a ceasefire ended last year. ISIS has also targeted Ankara recently.
Turkey is part of the US-led coalition against IS and allows coalition planes to use its air base at Incirlik for raids on Iraq and Syria.
The country has also been carrying out a campaign of bombardment against Syrian Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which it regards as a extension of the PKK.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement that terror groups were targeting civilians because they were losing the battle against Turkish security forces.
Calling for national unity, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would use its right to self-defense to prevent future attacks.
At least 32 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a car bomb exploded in Ankara, Turkey’s health ministry has said.
The explosion happened in Guven Park in the Kizilay district, a key transport hub and commercial area.
Other vehicles at the scene were reduced to burnt-out wrecks, including at least one bus.
Last month, a bomb attack on a military convoy in Ankara killed 28 people and wounded dozens more.
According to the Hurriyet newspaper, the latest blast happened at about 18:40 local time and the area was evacuated in case of a second attack. Many ambulances were at the scene, it added.
No group has yet claimed the attack. However, a security official told Reuters news agency that initial findings suggested it was the work of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or an affiliated group.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said terror groups were targeting civilians because they were losing their struggle against Turkish security forces.
Recep tayyip Erdogan said such attacks “increase our determination to fight terrorism”.
Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu told a news conference that 30 people were killed at the scene and four died later in hospital, however two of the dead are believed to be the attackers. He said 125 people were being treated at several hospitals in Ankara, of whom 19 are in a critical condition.
Interior Minister Efkan Ala said the investigation would be concluded on March 14 and those behind the bombing would be named.
The ministers were speaking after an emergency security meeting called by PM Ahmet Davutoglu.
Turkey, which was the stable corner of the Middle East and the West’s crucial ally in a volatile region, is now at a dangerous moment, the prime minister adds.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the US embassy in Ankara warned its citizens on March 11 of a “potential terrorist plot” in the city.
Last month’s bombing was claimed by a Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK). It said on its website that the attack was in retaliation for the policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey, however, blamed a Syrian national who was a member of another Kurdish group.
Turkey has declared three days of national mourning after two explosions at a peace rally in Ankara killed at least 95 people on October 10, the deadliest ever such attack in the country.
Ankara attack left 245 people injured, with 48 of them in a serious condition.
The government called the two explosions a “terrorist act” and angrily rejected allegations that it was to blame.
PM Ahmet Davutoglu said there was evidence that two suicide bombers had carried out the attack, which comes three weeks before a re-run of June’s inconclusive parliamentary elections.
Photo Getty Iamges
The two explosions took place near Ankara’s central train station as people gathered for a march organized by leftist groups demanding an end to the violence between the Kurdish separatist PKK militants and the Turkish government.
The blasts happened shortly after 10:00 local time as crowds gathered ahead of the rally. Amateur video footage showed a group of young people holding hands and singing, as the first blast hits.
No group has said it carried out the attack, but PM Ahmet Davutoglu suggested that Kurdish rebels or the Islamic State (ISIS) group were to blame.
According to terrorism experts, the attack is similar to one that was carried out in Suruc in southern Turkey by ISIS in July in which 30 people died.
However, the leader of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, whose members was among those attending the rally, has blamed the state and cancelled all election rallies.
The HDP has previously blamed the government for colluding in attacks on Kurdish activists, which the government denies.
At least 86 people have been killed and other 186 injured after two explosions hit Turkey’s capital Ankara during a peace rally, according to officials.
TV footage showed scenes of panic and people lying on the ground covered in blood, amid protest banners.
The twin blasts took place near Ankara’s central train station as people gathered for a march organized by leftist groups.
The attack is the deadliest of its kind in modern Turkish history.
PM Ahmet Davutoglu has announced three days of national mourning, and said there was evidence that two suicide bombers had carried out the attacks.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attack, which comes weeks before an election, was an act of terrorism and was “loathsome”.
The rally was demanding an end to the violence between the Kurdish separatist PKK militants and the Turkish government, and had been due to start at 12:00 local time.
The pro-Kurdish HDP party was among those attending, and it said in a statement that it believes its members were the main target of the bombings.
The leader of the HDP has blamed the state for the attack, which he called “a huge massacre”, and cancelled all election rallies.
The party has previously blamed the government for colluding in attacks on Kurdish activists, which the government denies.
The two explosions happened shortly after 10:00 local time as crowds gathered ahead of the rally. Amateur video footage showed a group of young people holding hands and singing, before the first blast.
Meanwhile, the PKK called on its fighters to halt its guerrilla activities in Turkey unless attacked first. A statement from an umbrella group that includes the PKK said its forces would “make no attempts to hinder or harm the exercise of a fair and equal election”.
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.