Turkey Feeling the Consequences of Aiding Jihadis

On Saturday, March 19, 2016, Istiklal Street, a busy shopping district in Istanbul, Turkey, came under attack after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in the busy street. Three Israelis and an Iranian were killed in the blast, and another 36 were wounded. The Islamic State (IS) is suspected to be behind the attack. 

The attacker was identified as Mehmet Ozturk, a Turkish citizen born near the Syrian-Turkish border. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated his country is currently trying to figure out if this was a targeted attack against Israelis or just a coincidence. It looks highly plausible that the Israelis were specifically targeted when another 11 of the 36 wounded were also Israeli. Turkish police cameras also captured the bomber following the Israeli tourists for several kilometers from their hotel.  

This marks the second time this year that Istanbul has been targeted by IS. In early January, IS claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 10 near the famous Blue Mosque. The majority of the victims were German tourists. 

IS seems to be targeting tourists of specific countries in their attacks. Istanbul is packed with tourists from all over the world, but IS has been targeting tourists who belong to Western nations and those who fight against them. 

Earlier today, March 21, 2016, Turkish police arrested three IS supporters who were planning attacks in Istanbul. The three men arrested stated they were given instructions to attack heavily crowded areas in Istanbul, and they were more than likely going to target tourists from specific countries. 

Turkey has been experiencing a surge of violence over the course of this year. Aside from IS, Turkey has been targeted by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdish Freedom Falcons (TAK), an offshoot of the PKK. Last week the TAK claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed 37. The TAK also launched an attack on Turkish military personnel in February that killed 28. 

Turkey’s current conflict with the PKK arose after Kurdish Preoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) was able to win 12 percent of the vote, surpassing the 10 percent necessary for a political party to enter Turkey’s parliament. This prevented the Justice Development Party (AKP) from holding a super majority within the government. The Kurds moving into some form of power within the Turkish government will prevent President Recep Teyyip Erdogan from consolidating power throughout the country.

Selahattin Demitras, Co-President of the HDP, held the AKP directly responsible for IS attack killing over 30 people from the Socialist Youth Associations Federation in Suruc. Demitras cited the ruling party’s apathy toward preventing IS attacks against Kurds in Syria and Turkey. Demitras believed the attack symbolized an effort by the AKP to break the will of the Kurdish people and intervene in the recent political developments throughout the country. 

Soon after Suruc, the PKK responded by attacking Turkish security forces. Since last July, Turkish security forces have continued to attack Kurdish positions inside and outside of Turkey, and the PKK have launched several attacks in Ankara and cities around the country. 

Aside from allowing IS to attack Kurdish positions, the Turkish government has also been found to aiding jihadist groups in Syria who oppose the Assad regime. The AKP has been cited as providing material support to Al Qaeda’s (AQ) branch in Syria, Al-Nusra Front. While AKP boosts up jihadis, they continue to strive towards weakening the Syrian Kurds, who have been the most effective group in Syria against IS. 

With Turkey battling the PKK and TAK in the South and now facing a growing threat from IS in the North, security forces will be stretched to their full extent. Turkish President Recep Teyyip Erdogan stated “We will never surrender to the agenda of terror. We will defeat the terrorist organizations and the powers behind them by looking after the unity of our nation,” but the current trend of violence points to the contrary. 

Turkey’s apahetic attitude towards fighting IS and their continued support of terrorist organizations has created the current instability within the country. Under Erdogan, Turkey has sought to move its own interests forward, but instead it is now facing troublesome consequences for its misguided behavior. The current violence in Turkey will only continue, and Turkey has only itself to blame.