Turkish court sentences perpetrator to life for Istanbul terror bombing

A Turkish court has handed down seven life sentences to Ahlam Albashir, a Syrian national, for her role in a 2022 terror bombing that resulted in the deaths of six people on Istanbul's Istiklal Street.

The attack, orchestrated by instructions from the PKK/YPG, also left approximately 100 individuals injured in the busy street crowded with shoppers and tourists.

Albashir, identified by police as the perpetrator who planted the bomb, received a total of seven life sentences.

The court's ruling on Friday involved more than 30 other defendants. While four were released from prison, the court ordered 10 defendants to be tried separately due to their unavailability.

Among the 20 defendants sentenced, six received aggravated life imprisonment for charges including "disrupting the unity and integrity of the state" and "intentional murder," with prison terms ranging from 4 years to life.

The PKK, recognised as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has conducted a nearly 40-year terror campaign against the country, resulting in the deaths of over 40,000 individuals, including women, children, and infants. The YPG serves as the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

Since 2016, Ankara has initiated a series of successful anti-terror operations in northern Syria – including Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019) – aimed at thwarting the establishment of a terror corridor and facilitating the peaceful settlement of residents.