In the aftermath of a bomb detonation in front of government buildings in Ankara, Turkey has declared all Kurdish facilities in Syria and Iraq as valid military targets. The attackers responsible for the weekend bombing were traced back to Syria, prompting a swift and forceful response from the Turkish military.

Air strikes in northern Iraq and countrywide raids have been conducted this week in retaliation for the attack. Dozens of suspects with alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have been detained. The PKK is designated a “terrorist group” by Turkey and its Western allies.

A national security meeting convened on Wednesday, chaired by the Turkish government, to strategize its response to the Sunday attack. Turkish police engaged the attackers, resulting in the death of one and the other in an apparent suicide blast outside the Ministry of the Interior. Two policemen were injured in the confrontation.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed that the attackers had entered Turkey through Syria and received training there. He emphasised a “very precise” Turkish response, declaring, “All infrastructure, superstructure, and energy facilities that belong to the PKK and the YPG, especially in Iraq and Syria, are legitimate targets.”

This proclamation expands Turkey’s military scope to encompass areas in Syria and Iraq associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the YPG militia. Turkey, in recent years, has undertaken cross-border incursions into northern Syria, targeting the YPG, viewed as a PKK affiliate.

Foreign Minister Fidan cautioned third parties to stay away from facilities and individuals associated with the PKK and the YPG, a potential reference to the presence of US, Russian, and French troops in the region. Tensions have risen due to the US-led coalition’s support for the YPG, complicating diplomatic relations.

In response to Turkey’s air strikes, Iraqi Defence Minister Thabet al-Abbasi is set to visit Ankara on Thursday, seeking a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler. Iraq has denounced Ankara’s recent military actions, highlighting the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the region.