Kurdish party denies responsibility in Ankara bombing

The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) on Thursday denied Turkish accusations that Kurdish militants were behind the suicide bombing in Ankara on Wednesday that killed at least 28 people.

Salih Muslim Muhammad, a PYD co-chairman, said the Islamic State (IS) group was responsible for the Ankara attack, which also injured 61 others.

He was responding to an announcement earlier Thursday by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that identified a Syrian national with "direct links" to PYD as the suicide bomber in the Ankara blast.

Davutoglu also said the bomber, Salih Necer, received logistical support from the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey.

The Ankara bombing and the subsequent accusations and denials came amid mounting tension between Turkey and the Kurds.

Turkish artillery has been shelling Kurdish fighters' positions in northern Syria to prevent them from advancing near the Turkish borders.
  [Xinhua]
18/2/16