- Turkey and the West will have to join hands for rehabilitating the refugees. That will leave Ankara with enough space and energy to take on Daesh.
Khaleej Times
Editorial
Three major terror attacks in Ankara in less than six months is a grim reminder that Turkey faces a serious security threat. A suicide car bomb on Sunday killed more than 36 people in what is being termed as domestic unrest at the hands of Kurd separatists. Though none have claimed responsibility for the attack, authorities believe that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is behind it.
Several other Kurd outfits, however, have categorically condemned the attack. Earlier, Daesh had staked its claim for bombing popular tourist outlets in the capital. The country’s internal security situation has been in tatters since a ceasefire with the Kurds ended last year. Coupled with this is the rise of Daesh, which has seriously compounded the security profile of Turkey. Ankara’s decision to simultaneously take on the Kurds and Daesh has cost it dearly. Turkey has bombarded Kurd areas as well as Daesh positions, thus bringing the war on terror right inside its borders.
There are serious questions about the government’s ability to maintain security in the wake of refugees’ influx from Syria. Turkey, in fact, is at a crossroads of its existence as it faces domestic turmoil and a blatant aggression on its borders as Daesh consolidates its gains. Moreover, the unrest that is widely witnessed among the people owing to a host of governmental policies, such as a crackdown on political dissent, has literally unnerved the country’s establishment.
Turkey, which is counted as a reliable ally of the West and a strategic partner in Middle Eastern politics, is now at a dangerous moment. The ugly face of terror is evident all around, and the country is flooded with people whose credentials are in doubt. Ankara has no choice but to fight the virtual enemy in its ranks, and usher in an era of confidence among the people. It will be better advised to deal with the Kurds in the political parameters, rather than pushing them to the wall. Likewise, Turkey and the West will have to join hands for rehabilitating the refugees. That will leave Ankara with enough space and energy to take on Daesh.
