Turkish court charges 14 in connection with Ankara attack

USA officials earlier said the United States and Russian Federation agreed on a plan for a cease-fire in Syria starting Saturday that would exclude attacks on the Islamic State group and al-Qaida’s local affiliate.

But, he added, this policy that centered on the ISIL war has created “huge contradictions” in administration policies as per its relations with its allies.

Davutoglu also said, in a briefing to reporters broadcast live on television, that the Turkish Kurdish militant group TAK had claimed the attack as a “proxy” to shield the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. “It is a very sad event and shows the barbaric character of terrorist groups”.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, Turkish officials said the attack was carried out jointly by the PKK and the YPG, both of which are seen as terrorist organizations by Turkey.

The area targeted is close to parliament and the headquarters of the armed forces, and the attack coincided with a security summit chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan two kilometers away. Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah is also in support of the Syrian government.

Ja’afari’s comments marked one of the Syrian regime’s first direct acknowledgements of its cooperation with the PYD. However, this is just partial, as several fighting groups wagering their own war inside the country will not be affected.

The premier reiterated that Turkey hosts about 2.6 million refugees.

Tourism revenues in Turkey dropped 14.3 percent in the final quarter of previous year.

The PKK, which says it is fighting for autonomy for Turkey’s large ethnic Kurdish minority, has sealed off entire districts of some towns and cities in the southeast, prompting the security forces to step up their operations.

In recent months, Turkey has been apparently considering sending ground forces to Syria to ostensibly fight Daesh.

Ankara was hit by a bomb on February 17 that left 28 people – 20 of them military personnel – dead and 81 people injured.

The suicide bombing coincided with the growing tensions between Turkey and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).