Turkish warplanes carried out air-strikes on several towns within the Kurdish autonomous zone [13] in northern Syria, known as Rojava, on Nov. 19. The strikes killed several Kurdish fighters as well as soldiers of the Syrian regime, with which they now jointly occupy [16] the area. Among the towns hit was Kobane [14], from where Ankara says the order was given for the Nov. 13 suicide attack in Istanbul, that left six dead and several injured. "Kobane, the city that defeated ISIS, is subjected to bombardment by the aircraft of the Turkish occupation," tweeted [15] Farhad Shami, a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF [16]). Both the SDF and affiliated Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK [17]), named by Ankara as behind the Istanbul attack, have denied any involvement. Turkish authorities have arrested 17 in the attack, including a Syrian woman said to be the main perpetrator. (Al Jazeera [22], ANF [23], MEE [24], Rudaw [25], Rudaw [26], The Guardian [27])
Three days after the Istanbul attack, Sweden acceded to Turkish demands [16] that it stiffen "anti-terrorist" measures as a precondition for joining NATO. The Swedish Riksdag adopted [18] a constitutional amendment [19] facilitating passage of laws to limit the freedom of association for those who engage in or support "terrorism." Turkey has long accused Sweden of giving harbor to exiled PKK sympathizers. (Jurist [28], Daily Sabah [29], AP [30])
