Turkey to demand red notice on PYD leader Muslim 

AFP photo

Turkey is set to demand a red notice for Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-head Salih Muslim, CNN Türk has reported, a day after an arrest warrant was issued for him over a February bomb attack in Ankara.

The Justice Ministry is preparing to apply to the Interpol General Secretary for the red notice on Muslim.

If Interpol agrees to issue a red notice for the PYD leader following an evaluation, it will be sent to member countries who will be expected to arrest Muslim and deport him.

The ministry's move on Nov. 23 came a day after the Ankara 6th Criminal Court of Peace issued an arrest warrant for Muslim, as well as senior outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants, claiming that they were all involved in a bomb attack against military shuttles in Ankara in on Feb. 17.

Meanwhile, commenting on Ankara's arrest warrant, Muslim told the Voice of America's Kurdish service on Nov. 23 that he did not take it seriously and that no country, primarily European ones, would do so either.

Ankara considers the PYD and its armed wing, the People's Defense Units (YPG), as a terrorist organization linked to the PKK. 

The arrest warrant also included 48 PKK militants, including Zübeyir Aydar and Remzi Kartal in Europe and senior PKK leaders Cemil Bayık, Murat Karayılan and Fehman Hüseyin.

A total of 29 people were killed in the attack on Feb. 17 when a bomb-laden car was detonated during the passing of military shuttles in the Merasim Street near the military headquarters in Ankara. Some 15 suspects had been arrested as part of an investigation into the attack.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a hardline splinter group from the PKK, claimed responsibility for the attack.

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