The İskenderun attack, carried out by outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists, killed seven Turkish sailors and injured six others early on Monday. The attack was the first time the PKK targeted a naval base. A few hours later, Israeli soldiers attacked a humanitarian aid convoy sailing in international waters and carrying peace activists from 32 countries and volunteers working for charities. Some Turkish politicians have speculated over a possible link between the two deadly incidents. While highlighting that they have been extensively investigating both attacks, Interior Minister Beşir Atalay, speaking with reporters in Ankara yesterday, said, “We have been working hard, especially to ascertain what happened in the İskenderun incident.”
Atalay said the government had developed an extensive action plan following the İskenderun incident. Noting that the past few days will be remembered as ones in which important and unfortunate events took place, Atalay said: “The developments concerning the humanitarian aid flotilla en route to Gaza and the vicious attack in İskenderun are being investigated together. In our meetings with the prime minister before noon [on Tuesday] and with the prime minister and the military at 6 p.m., we discussed these two incidents in parallel to one another. I don’t want to say both are related. Of course, such investigations require attention, and we need to refrain from careless statements. You know my sensitivity on this issue. These issues are delicate, especially when they have international dimensions.”
The minister also underlined that they will give priority to democratic and humanitarian approaches, saying, “We will continue the democratic initiative without ignoring the security-related aspects.”
Meanwhile, one Turkish soldier was killed and two others wounded on Wednesday when PKK terrorists opened fire on a military brigade in the southeastern province of Hakkari’s Çukurca district. Two injured soldiers were treated at the Hakkari Military Hospital. A funeral was held at the Hakkari military command for soldier Fatih Gökkaya. Gökkaya’s body was then sent to his hometown of Aksaray.
Turkey boosts precautions to protect Jewish citizens, diplomats
Turkey has boosted measures to protect Turkish Jews and members of Israel’s diplomatic corps following demonstrations across the country in protest of an Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid convoy in international waters that killed at least nine and injured dozens more earlier this week. Speaking after a press conference in Ankara yesterday, Interior Minister Beşir Atalay said that no Jewish Turkish citizens had been harmed during the nationwide protests, noting that they had taken preventative measures in 20 areas in just İstanbul, which has several synagogues and community centers. The families of Israeli diplomats were asked to return to Israel on Tuesday following the outbreak of protests in Turkey. While noting that no Israeli citizens had been harmed during the protests, Atalay said: “No Israeli person will be harmed. We will not let this happen. We have taken measures in İstanbul at residences, the consulate and places of worship. We will not allow any harm to come to these places. These protests have already calmed down. I have not seen the protesters displaying any exaggerated behavior. There was a protest in Ankara on Monday evening near the ambassador’s residence. They threw plastic water bottles at the house. We have been in contact with the ambassador. There is nothing happening; they have not been disturbed. We have placed a security officer in the garden. Not even a small violent incident will happen there. ” Ankara Today’s Zaman
