Security official: DNA report suggests Ankara bomber was Turkish, not Syrian

The Turkey-based Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, had claimed responsibility for the February 17 attack, which targeted buses carrying military personnel.

It is also fighting a renewed conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a Kurdish militant group pushing for autonomy in the southeast, and has been shelling Syrian Kurdish militia fighters across the border.

“The PYD, unlike other Kurdish groups in northern Syria, led a pro-Assad policy and started supporting Muhaberat, the Syrian secret intelligence service and pro-Assad Shabiha forces”.

Kurtulmus said he had “reservations” about the viability of the ceasefire as he feared Russian Federation would simply continue its air bombardments in Syria.

It also accuses the Syrian Kurdish forces of working alongside Russian Federation, which strongly opposes Ankara’s key strategic aim of ousting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

On the profile page for the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by the US – found on the National Counterterrorism Center’s (NCTC) website, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) is mentioned as a cause for a “heightened threat to Turkey and increased tensions along the border”.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has unveiled a plan to support Turkey’s tourism sector, hit by tensions with Russian Federation and domestic insecurity, including a 255 million lira ($A122 million) grant and a facility to allow tourism firms to restructure debt.

Turkey has also designated the YPG a terrorist group, but its allies, including the United States, back the YPG in its fight against so-called Islamic State (IS).

The truce would include Syrian government and opposition forces but not the Islamic State group or the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front.

The announcement came after the United States and Russian Federation agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect on Saturday, even as major questions over enforcement of that truce have been left unresolved.

Describing the Obama administration’s policy in the Middle East “disordered and lacking comprehensive strategic vision” Salem said terror groups should be considered and treated the same if they are endangering security of a region or terrorizing civilians.

Among those arrested were the bomber’s brother, his father and the imam of the mosque, the report said.

“We hope that all the groups in Syria, including the moderate opposition, will take part in the reconstruction of the country at the end of negotiations”.

Last week’s bombing killed 29 people, at least 20 of them military personnel.