Turkey arrests an Istanbul explosion suspect in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish authorities on Wednesday arrested a man in Turkey-controlled city of Azaz in northwest Syria for allegedly helping the main suspect of the recent deadly blast in Istanbul, reported state media. 

A TNT explosion killed six people and injured 81 others in Istanbul’s famous Taksim thoroughfare on Sunday. Police have arrested about 50 people at home, including a 23-year-old Syrian woman named Ahlam Albashir whom the police believes is the main perpetrator of the explosion.

Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency reported late Wednesday that Turkish forces have arrested a man, codenamed Husam, in Azaz city which is controlled by Ankara and its Syrian proxies. He is believed to have helped Albashir in carrying out the attack.  

Turkish authorities have blamed the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) which controls northeast Syria (Rojava) for the explosion but the group has denied any responsibility. 

The state media claimed that Husam is a member of the YPG and moved from Syria to Istanbul one year ago, adding that he managed to flee Turkey while police were chasing him.