Ankara claims PKK’s Syrian offshoot is behind bloody Istanbul attack

People mourn the victims of November 13 explosion at the busy shopping street of Istiklal in Istanbul on November 14, 2022. (AFP)
People mourn the victims of November 13 explosion at the busy shopping street of Istiklal in Istanbul on November 14, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 15 November 2022
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Ankara claims PKK’s Syrian offshoot is behind bloody Istanbul attack

People mourn the victims of November 13 explosion at the busy shopping street of Istiklal in Istanbul on November 14, 2022. (AFP
  • Turkiye needs to tighten its border security, take additional precautions against potential cells within country, analyst tells Arab News

ANKARA: In an overnight raid, Istanbul police detained a 23-year-old Syrian woman, Ahlam Al-Bashir, as the prime suspect for having planted the bomb that killed six people and wounded 81 people in the city on Sunday.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and its Syrian offshoot the Democratic Union Party, or PYD, were behind Sunday’s blast in Istiklal Avenue, targeting civilians.

In a statement published by the Fırat news agency, the PKK denied any involvement in the attack, but Turkish intelligence sources insist on the high probability of the group’s role in it.




An undated photo released by Turkish police shows an unidentified blast suspect arrested in Istanbul, Turkey. (REUTERS)

Al-Bashir confessed she was trained by Kurdish militants in Syria and entered Turkiye illegally through Syria’s northwestern Afrin region, currently controlled by Turkish troops.

She was caught in the CCTV footage, wearing a hijab and camouflage, when leaving the area with a remotely controlled bomb-loaded bag.

Among the victims of the attack were a 3-year-old girl and her father, an employee at the Ministry of Family and Social Services’ branch in the southern province of Adana. They were vacationing in Istanbul.

The White House released a press statement, in which it said that the US “strongly condemns the act of violence” and reiterated that it “(stands) shoulder-to-shoulder with its NATO ally Turkiye in countering terrorism.”

Soylu, however, openly criticized the US for giving support to Kurdish militants in Syria, saying “the insincerity of our allies who officially send money is obvious” and comparing the condolences to the arrival of the murderer at the crime scene.

Security analysts insist that there was a PKK connection to the attack, based on patterns observed in previous attacks.

“This time, the PKK appears to be targeting civilians in a crowded spot in a metropolis in order to generate a wider impact on public opinion and attract more attention ahead of the elections set for next year,” Erol Bural, a retired colonel and head of the Ankara-based Research Center for Combating Terrorism and Radicalization, told Arab News.

“The ongoing anti-terror operations of Turkiye seriously weakened the PKK’s military clout within the country and in its region, which also undermined the organizational capabilities of the group as well as its popular support. The only way to regain it was through terrorism, a bomb attack, to punish Turkiye,” he said.

According to Bural, the PKK uses this pattern against civilians to instill fear and as a reminder that it still poses a threat and can repeat such acts.

Turkiye considers the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, and PYD as linked to the PKK, an armed group listed as a terror organization by the US, EU and Turkey.

Turkiye carried out three operations in northern Syria against the YPG, while another operation was expected this year but never realized.

The PKK has fought an almost four-decades-long armed insurgency against the Turkish state, claiming the lives of over 40,000 people. The group has several members exiled in Sweden.

As part of the newly established consensus between Turkiye and Sweden to give the Scandinavian country’s NATO accession bid a green light, Sweden’s foreign minister in the new government recently said Stockholm needed to “distance” itself from the YPG and PYD, who control much of northern Syria.

“There is too close a link between these organizations and the PKK,” Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom recently told broadcaster Sveriges Radio.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson recently visited Ankara to discuss the details of its entry into NATO.

Bural believes that the latest Istanbul attack may also carry a threatening message toward European countries, implying that similar acts may happen in their countries as well if they ever restrict the PKK’s presence and its propaganda activities.

“From now on, the PKK may conduct its terror acts in big cities using its networks and proxies inside Turkiye or by deploying foreign fighters from abroad.

“In both cases, Turkiye needs to tighten its border security and take additional precautions against potential cells within the country.

“Each year, about 200 terror acts of various groups are prevented in Turkiye, but one of them escapes from the security radar and claims so many innocent lives,” Bural said.

While the PKK is seen as a top suspect in the blast, experts also draw attention to the Iranian factor in such acts of terrorism in Turkey, considering the recent disagreements between the two countries.

On July 22, Kataib Seyid el-Suheda, an Iranian-backed militia group in Iraq, shared a photo from Taksim square in Istanbul, with the slogan “Wherever we need to be, we will be there.”

The same account posted another video on July 24.

“Our eyes are on Istanbul. People loyal to Abu Alaa El-Vali,” the message in it said, referring to the leader of the Iranian-backed militia group, “are at the heart of Turkiye, just (as) they were yesterday.”

Just hours before the Istanbul attack, a controversial Iranian article also blamed Turkish intelligence chief Hakan Fidan for playing a role in the terror attack on a Shiite religious shrine in the Iranian city of Shiraz on Oct. 22, which killed 15 people, and for promoting Azerbaijani separatism.

Daesh claimed responsibility for that attack.

Pro-Iran Shiite militia groups have been previously accused of being behind rocket attacks against a Turkish base north of Iraq’s Mosul following Turkish airstrikes that targeted the PKK there.

Turkiye launched several cross-border military operations into Syria and northern Iraq against the PKK’s hideouts following the increase in bloody terror attacks between 2015 and 2017, which killed hundreds of civilians and security personnel.

 


Iran says 28 Daesh members held over bomb plot timed with anniversary of Mahsa Amini protests

Iran's police forces walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2023. (REUTERS)
Iran's police forces walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2023. (REUTERS)
Updated 25 September 2023
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Iran says 28 Daesh members held over bomb plot timed with anniversary of Mahsa Amini protests

Iran's police forces walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2023. (REUTERS)
  • Iran's intelligence ministry says 30 bombs meant to explode simultaneously were defused 
  • The explosions in Tehran were timed during the anniversary of last year’s Mahsa Amini protests

TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have arrested 28 people linked to the Daesh group for plotting to target Tehran during the anniversary of last year’s protests, the intelligence ministry said on Sunday.

The protests erupted after the death in custody on September 16, 2022, of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd arrested for allegedly flouting the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.

“In recent days, during a series of simultaneous operations in Tehran, Alborz and West Azerbaijan provinces, several terrorist bases and team houses were attacked, and 28 members of the said terrorist network were arrested,” the ministry said on its website.

“These elements are affiliated to the professional crime group of Daesh (Daesh group) and some of them have a history of accompanying takfiris in Syria or being active in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Kurdistan region of Iraq,” it added.

In Shiite-dominated Iran, the term “takfiri” generally refers to jihadists or proponents of radical Sunni Islam.

The intelligence ministry said two security personnel were wounded during the arrest operations, and a number of bombs, firearms, suicide vests and communications devices were seized.

It said it had neutralized a plot to “carry out 30 simultaneous terrorist explosions in densely populated centers of Tehran to undermine security and incite riots and protests on the anniversary of last year’s riots.”

The months-long demonstrations saw hundreds of people killed, including dozens of security personnel, in what Tehran called “riots” fomented by foreign governments and “hostile media.”

On Thursday, a court sentenced to death a Tajik Daesh member convicted over a deadly gun attack on a Shiite Muslim shrine last month.

The attack on the Shah Cheragh mausoleum in Shiraz, capital of Fars province in the south, came less than a year after a mass shooting at the same site that was later claimed by the Daesh group.
 


US allocates $73m to UNRWA amid funding crisis

Palestinians carry bags of flour received as aid to poor families, at the UNRWA distribution center, in the Rafah refugee camp.
Palestinians carry bags of flour received as aid to poor families, at the UNRWA distribution center, in the Rafah refugee camp.
Updated 24 September 2023
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US allocates $73m to UNRWA amid funding crisis

Palestinians carry bags of flour received as aid to poor families, at the UNRWA distribution center, in the Rafah refugee camp.
  • UNRWA requires between $170 and $190 million just to keep its services running until the end of the year

LONDON: US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced an additional $73 million in funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, Jordan Press Agency reported on Sunday. 

The ambassador said that the funding would help supply food to needy families, provide healthcare for children and pregnant women, assist students in furthering their education, and support people affected by the conflict through mental health services.

It will also provide emergency humanitarian assistance to residents of Jenin and Ain Al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camps, both of which have suffered from recent violence. 

Earlier on Thursday, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said the funding crisis for Palestinian refugees in Jordan and other host countries has created an “absolutely unbearable” situation that could soon approach a tipping point. 

Lazzarini said that the agency required between $170 and $190 million just to keep its activities in Jordan, Lebanon, Gaza and elsewhere running until the end of the year. 

Jordan’s King Abdullah II told the UNGA in New York on Tuesday that the world must not abandon Palestinian refugees to the forces of despair. 

“In Jordan, where refugees make up over a third of our 11 million population, cuts have already thrown the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees into uncertainty. The impact of such humanitarian shortfalls is never limited to a country or region,” the king said.

Despite several UN member states pledging Thursday to boost their contributions to UNRWA, the agency still only has the means to provide services until October.


Kuwait, China sign 7 agreements for major construction work

Kuwait, China sign 7 agreements for major construction work
Updated 24 September 2023
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Kuwait, China sign 7 agreements for major construction work

Kuwait, China sign 7 agreements for major construction work
  • Projects include completion of port, renewable energy, low-carbon recycling, water treatment schemes

LONDON: Kuwait and China have signed seven memorandums of understanding on large-scale construction projects, Kuwait News Agency reported on Sunday.

The agreements were signed during Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s visit to Hangzhou at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games.

It was the crown prince’s second meeting with Xi since the Gulf Cooperation Council-China Summit for Cooperation and Development in December in Saudi Arabia.

Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister Saad Al-Barrak described the visit as “very important,” with the government working to update its 2035 vision.

The first agreement is for completion of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.

“Around 50 percent of the first phase of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port is complete, and we seek to finalize the first phase in order to launch and operate the port as swiftly as possible,” Al-Barrak said.

“China excels in construction and other domains like management and operation of the port, so we have signed the MoU and will continue the talks on execution.”

Other agreements were signed for projects including renewable energy, creation of a low-carbon recycling green system, water treatment station infrastructure, and economic and free zones.

Jassem Al-Ostad, Kuwait’s minister of electricity, water and renewable energy, said the crown prince gave instructions to build renewable energy stations in order to supply clean and affordable energy, while also honoring Kuwait’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Another MoU outlines the development of advanced housing cities in Kuwait as part of the government plans to offer housing care for citizens.

During the visit, Sheikh Mishal and Xi discussed ways to expand bilateral relations.

Xi said that Kuwait was the first Gulf country to establish relations with Beijing in 1971, and that the Kuwait Fund was instrumental in providing loans to China in the 1980s.

The crown prince also met with Huawei executives to strengthen Kuwait’s partnership with the company in information technology and communication services.


UAE FM meets UN secretary general on sidelines of UNGA assembly

UAE FM meets UN secretary general on sidelines of UNGA assembly
Updated 24 September 2023
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UAE FM meets UN secretary general on sidelines of UNGA assembly

UAE FM meets UN secretary general on sidelines of UNGA assembly
  • Discussions focused on partnerships in humanitarian aid, renewable energy, climate action

LONDON: UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Emirates News Agency reported.

Discussions focused on UAE-UN partnerships in a variety of sectors, including humanitarian aid, renewable energy, climate action and sustainable development.

Sheikh Abdullah and Guterres reviewed the outcomes of the UAE’s membership of the UN Security Council from 2022 to 2023, as well as its contributions to international peace and security, and humanitarian response operations and initiatives aimed at tackling global challenges.

The meeting discussed the UAE’s preparations for hosting the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in November in Dubai.

Sheikh Abdullah said that the UAE recognized the need to expedite the global response to climate change to achieve peace and security, and that the country looked forward to leveraging climate challenges into opportunities that drove sustainable and economic development.

The two officials also addressed developments in the Middle East, exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues of mutual interest, as well as challenges to international peace and security.

Guterres thanked the UAE for its strengthened engagement with the UN and its hosting of COP28.

The meeting was attended by several UAE officials, including Reem bint Ibrahim Al-Hashimy, minister of state for international cooperation, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, permanent representative to the UN, Mohamed Issa Abu Shehab, deputy permanent representative to the UN, and Majid Al Suwaidi, special representative of COP28.

 


All 120 workers rescued after Nile cruise ship accident in Egypt

Nile cruise ships and feluccas are moored off the river bank of Egypt’s southern city of Luxor. (File/AFP)
Nile cruise ships and feluccas are moored off the river bank of Egypt’s southern city of Luxor. (File/AFP)
Updated 24 September 2023
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All 120 workers rescued after Nile cruise ship accident in Egypt

Nile cruise ships and feluccas are moored off the river bank of Egypt’s southern city of Luxor. (File/AFP)
  • There were no guests on board the ship, which was heading to Luxor Governorate in the south of Egypt

CAIRO: All 120 workers on board a Nile cruise ship that partially sank after it collided with a bridge have been rescued. 

The collision caused a hole in the lower right side of the Tivoli Nile ship in Minya Governorate in Upper Egypt, officials said.

There were no guests on board the ship, which was heading to Luxor Governorate in the south of Egypt.

The Public Prosecution is investigating the incident.

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• There were no guests on board the ship, which was heading to Luxor governorate in the south of Egypt. The Public Prosecution is investigating the incident.

• Authorities said they were working with the company that owns the floating hotel, while a top official at the ministry said the ship’s tourism operating license expired last May and had not been renewed.

Authorities said they were working with the company that owns the floating hotel, while Mohammed Amer, head of the Department of Hotel Establishments, Shops, and Tourist Activities at the ministry, said the ship’s tourism operating license expired last May and had not been renewed.

It was recently at a workshop in Helwan, south of Cairo, for necessary repairs and maintenance work to allow it to operate during the upcoming winter season, starting next month.

Amer said that, after completing all maintenance work, the management of the vessel obtained a passage permit from Cairo to Luxor for the necessary inspections by Ministry of Tourism officials to renew its license in preparation for the start of October.

The River Transport Authority said that it granted a temporary permit for the ship to leave the repair shop to its own berth on Aug. 23 until it obtained the rest of the necessary licenses from the other relevant authorities.