According to Turkey's state-run news agency,
Turkish forces killed the alleged mastermind of a devastating street explosion
in Istanbul during an operation in northern Syria.
Halil Menci, who was involved in the
operation, was "neutralised" by Turkish intelligence officers, the
agency claimed without elaborating. According to HaberTurk television, the
incident happened on February 22 in the town of Qamishli.
Six people were killed in the bombing on
November 13 in Istanbul's busy Istiklal Boulevard, including two toddlers.
Almost 80 other people suffered injuries.
The illegal Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK,
and associated Syrian Kurdish factions were given culpability for the attack by
Turkish authorities. The militant Kurds have denied any involvement.
In relation to the attack, at least 17 people
have been placed in detention pending trial, including a Syrian lady who is
charged with planting the bomb on Istiklal Avenue that contained TNT. At the
time, authorities said that the attack's mastermind had departed Turkey for
Syria.
Since 1984, the PKK has waged an armed
conflict in Turkiye. Since then, tens of thousands of people have died in the
fight.
Since 2016, Turkiye has conducted three
significant incursions into Syria with the aim of destroying the country's main
Kurdish force. It also controls a large portion of Syrian territory along their
shared border.
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