Statement from TAK Claiming Responsibility for Bomb Attack in Kızılay of Ankara

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Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) has this morning (March 17) claimed responsibility for the bomb attack carried out on March 13, Sunday in Kızılay downtown of Ankara killing 37 persons.

In the statement made from the website of the organization this morning, it has been declared that Seher Çağla Demir has carried out the attack.

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TAK had previously also claimed responsibility for the bomb attack, which killed 28 on February 17 in Ankara carried out against military shuttles in Kızılay Merasim street of Ankara, which killed 28.

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TAK’s statement

The statement of the organization has also included a threat that such attacks would continue:

“[...] “We as Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) claim responsibility for the action. The action has been carried out by a unit under the leadership of our comrade Doğa Jiyan (Seher Çağla Demir).

“Police intervening as our unit has aimed at its target has caused civilian losses. For this reason we would like to declare our sorrow for the civilian deaths who were in no way related to the ones responsible for and the executors of this dirty war.

“In the operations we have conducted, civilian casualties have been experienced as an inevitable result of war.

“In the atmosphere created after experiencing civilian losses following our action, we hope that the public opinion understands the pain the Kurdish people have been through over at least 300 of our civilian people being targeted and massacred atrociously in Cizre alone, dead bodies being burned and not returned,

“Even this ferocity alone is a reason for us as Kurdistan Freedom Falcons to hold to account and take revenge.

“It should not be forgotten that we have hundreds of guards determined to call to account for the massacres against our civilian and unguarded people reaching up to a grade of burning and exposing [the dead].

“We will continue hitting those who are the brains and executors of this dirty war in the places where they fell the safest.

“The ones living in Turkey should know that no one’s life is safe until this fascist dictatorship is wiped off the map”.

About TAK

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Spokesperson "Roj Kandil", had made the following explanation to CNN International in November 2010 as to the act launched on October 31, 2010 and claimed by TAK:

TAK has claimed responsibility fort he attack in Taksim. According to you, who are they?

It is true that some of TAK members were among us. However, they were criticizing our policies. They saw us very passive and soft. They were saying they favor in escalating armed struggle. Then they separated from us. Nevertheless, they also accept [Abdullah] Öcalan as their leader. Serious problems arose within us after Öcalan has been caught. Some friends were saying, "Leadership has called truce, but state didn't get it and developed conspiracies against him". Afterwards, some elements voicing criticism have become a unit. This unit has rapidly went to extremes and established its own organization by decoupling from us.

Are the allegations that TAK is PKK's city wing true?

Such evaluations are being made because some elements in TAK have separated from us. There is no relation between us. As far as I understand, they are subordinated to Öcalan and loyal to him".

TAK's attacks

TAK lastly had claimed responsibility for the explosions at apron in İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport on December 23, 2015. TAK had announced it as the end of their inaction they started in 2011.

TAK had claimed responsibility for the following attacks it launched earlier:

Bombed attacks on van carrying tourists in Kuşadası province of Aydın, which left five tourists and one police officer dead, and 34 people wounded on July 17, 2005.
The explosion in Anafartalar bazaar in Ulus district of Ankara which killed seven people, and wounded 102 on May 23, 2007.

Explosion in Bakırköy district of İstanbul which wounded 31 people on June 10, 2007.

Bombed attack which left 15 police officers wounded in Küçükçekmece district of İstanbul on June 8, 2007.

Explosion that occurred during passage of shuttle carrying military staff near military housing in Halkalı district of İstanbul on June 22, 2010.

Attack on Konyaaltı beach in Antalya on August 26, 2011 and the attack on Kemer public beach leaving 6 wounded on August 28.

Bombed attack which left three people dead, 34 others wounded in Kızılay district of Ankara on September 20, 2011.

(AS/DG)