US continues to support PKK/YPG terror group: Türkiye

ANKARA

The US continues to support the PKK/YPG/SDF terrorist organization under the pretext of fighting Daesh/ISIS, a Turkish National Defense Ministry source said Thursday.

"The US continues to support the PKK/YPG/SDF terrorist organization under the pretext of fighting against Daesh. It is not possible to fight a terrorist organization using another terrorist organization. So the fight against terrorism cannot be done with terrorists," the source told reporters.

Late February, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla visited the al-Hol and al-Roj camps for displaced people in Syria, where the YPG/PKK terrorist group holds the families of Daesh/ISIS terrorists.

"Our expectation from friendly and allied countries is to stop aid and support to the PKK/YPG/SDF terrorist organization and to provide sincere support to our fight against terrorism," the source said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Wednesday that Türkiye is resolute in its fight against terrorism.

"We maintain our will to create a 30-40 kilometer deep security corridor along our Syrian border. We are determined to fill with new steps the gaps in this corridor, part of which we have already established with our previous operations.

"As we have openly told them in person, we call on all in the region to respect this security strategy of ours. Otherwise, they themselves will be the reason of potential tensions. We have preparations that will cause new nightmares to those who assume they can bring Türkiye to its knees by establishing a ‘terroristan’ along our southern borders," Erdogan warned.

Türkiye has long complained of the US working with the PKK/YPG on the pretext of fighting Daesh/ISIS. Turkish officials say using one terrorist group to fight another makes no sense.

Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations since 2016 across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.


*Writing by Diyar Guldogan from Washington, D.C.