Turkiye rejects US condolences over Istanbul bombing

Turkiye yesterday rejected the United States’ message of condolences over the deadly Istanbul attack that killed six people and wounded 81 others.

“We have received the message but we do not accept it and reject the US embassy’s condolences. We are not hostile towards anyone,” said Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu.

“We know who supports terrorism in northern Syria, and we know the message they wanted to deliver to Turkiye through this attack,” Soylu added in press statements, in reference to Washington’s support of Kurdish militants in northern Syria which Ankara blamed for the attack.

Soylu announced the arrest of the person who left the bomb that caused the explosion on Istanbul’s Istiklal Street.

“Our assessment is that the order for the deadly terror attack came from Ayn Al-Arab [Kobane] in northern Syria, where the PKK/YPG has its Syrian headquarters,” said Soylu.

“We will retaliate against those who are responsible for this heinous terror attack,” he added.

READ: Condemnations of Istanbul terror attack pour in from across Middle East

For his part, the director of communications at the Turkish Presidency, Fahrettin Altun, said whoever wants Ankara’s friendship should cut off “direct and indirect” support for terrorism.

“The international community must know that the terrorist attacks targeting our civilians are the result of some countries’ support for terrorism,” he added.