In a sign of strained ties between Turkey and the United States, Turkish officials declined to accept Washington’s condolences after a deadly bombing in the heart of Istanbul that left six people dead on Nov. 13.
According to the Turkish authorities, who swiftly detained the alleged bomber, the attack was planned and carried out by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian offshoot, the [People’s Protection Units] YPG.
Turkey, along with the United States and the European Union, considers the PKK a terrorist group.
Yet despite the PKK’s close affiliation with the YPG, the latter enjoys the support of Washington, which continues to use it as a bulwark against the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria….