EU Commission spokesperson dodges question on listing YPG as terrorist group

BRUSSELS

A European Commission spokesperson on Friday refused to answer if the bloc is about to list the YPG as a terrorist organization.

The EU Commission's report on Türkiye, released on Tuesday, mentioned the YPG as "PKK-affiliated People’s Protection Units (YPG)" and "the PKK and affiliated groups in northern Syria and Iraq."

Peter Stano, the commission’s lead spokesperson on foreign affairs, avoided Anadolu's question in a news conference about those terms and whether the EU was gearing up to list the YPG as a terrorist group.

"The whole procedure as I described is taking place in confidentiality, so we cannot comment and we don't comment on any possible, potential, or ongoing discussions about possible listings," he said.

"The fact is that on EU terrorism list the YPG is not listed as terrorist organization, it's only the PKK."

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.