Assad directed YPG in Ankara attack: Turkish FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that the Ankara attack is an act of state terrorism by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who ordered Democratic Union Party (PYD) terrorists to attack Turkey.

Assad ordered PYD leader Salih Muslim to attack Turkey, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu reportedly said.

The Turkish capital, Ankara, was shaken by a massive terror attack Wednesday evening when a Syrian PYD-linked terrorist detonated an explosive laden vehicle near major administrative offices. The attack targeted military service buses, killing 28 people, 27 of whom were military personnel.

Intelligence and security authorities identified the suicide bomber within hours as PM Davutoğlu named 24-year-old Salih Neccar, a Syrian national and a registered member of the PYD's armed wing, People's Protection Units (YPG) terror group.

Last month, the terrorist group published a video calling on local and foreign fighters to attack Turkish institutions. The Ankara attack came less than one month after the YPG threats.

“Turkey is fighting against all kind of terrorist organizations without exception. Syrian YPG has no differences with Daesh, PKK, or DHKP-C terrorist groups,” Çavuşoğlu said.

He said that Turkey has enough evidence that shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was the main actor who orchestrated the Ankara attack.

“Assad ordered Salih Muslim, PYD leader, to organize its armed wing YPG attacking Turkey,” Çavuşoğlu said.

Turkish PM Davutoğlu in a press briefing that Turkish intelligence has identified all actors behind the attack, but he did not provide any more information about the “enemies of Turkey.”

“We know who used YPG as a pawn for the attack. We will not hurry to take action. We obviously will target them, we know how to destroy all hands of enemies,” Davutoğlu said, adding that Turkey's revenge will be more devastating.

There were claims that Russian intelligence also was one of the actors behind the attack, as the target was Turkey's air force headquarters. However, neither government authority nor intelligence sources approve or deny the allegations.

Turkey's intelligence sources said that suicide bomber Salih Neccar and his family were well-known for their good relations with the Ba'ath regime in Syria, led by Assad. The Neccars have strong links with Emn ul-Askari, a Syrian military intelligence agency, and some of the members of the family were working for the agency.

The sources said this relationship indicates that the suicide bomber could get direct orders from Damascus to attack Turkey's military.