3 yıl önce

Erdogan accuses US of supporting terrorists who killed Turks in Iraq

Turkish president called on his US counterpart Joe Biden to act with Turkey without any questions, or be complicit to bloodshed.

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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech as he attends his governing party's 7th Ordinary Provincial Congress, in Rize, Turkey on February 15, 2021.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the United States of supporting PKK terrorists who massacred 13 Turkish citizens in northern Iraq's Gara on Sunday.

Turkey on Sunday announced that terrorists from the PKK had killed captives, including military and police personnel, in Iraq, as Turkish forces conducted an anti-terror operation there.

"Now there is a statement made by the United States," Erdogan said on Monday, referring to Washington's reaction to the massacre.

"It's a joke. Were you not supposed to stand against the PKK, the YPG? You clearly support them and stand behind them."

If the US wants "to continue our alliance globally and at NATO, then you must stop siding with terrorists," Erdogan said, accusing the US of "obviously backing" PKK, YPG and PYD despite claiming otherwise.

"The blood of innocent people martyred in northern Iraq is on the hands of all defending, supporting and sympathising with PKK terrorists," Erdogan said on Monday during a provincial congress of his governing Justice and Development (AK) Party in Black Sea province Rize.

"Turkey has killed 51 terrorists in their hideouts" in military operations in northern Iraq, Erdogan said.

Noting that the terror attack was not the first massacre of civilians by the PKK terrorists, the Turkish president called on his US counterpart Joe Biden to "recognise" the terror group well.

Erdogan's remarks criticising Washington came shortly after the US State Department issued a statement on the incident, saying America stands with its NATO ally Turkey.

"The United States deplores the death of Turkish citizens […] We stand with our NATO Ally Turkey and extend our condolences to the families of those lost in the recent fighting. If reports of the death of Turkish civilians at the hands of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization, are confirmed, we condemn this action in the strongest possible terms," it said.

The United States and European Union have designated the PKK a terrorist organisation, but in Syria, US forces have been fighting alongside the terror group's Syrian wing, YPG.

"Now there is a statement made by the United States. It's a joke. Were you not supposed to stand against the PKK, the YPG? You clearly support them and stand behind them," he told party supporters in Rize.

Operations

The bodies of 13 Turkish citizens were found during Turkey's anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, according to National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on Sunday.

Turkish forces launched Operation Claw-Eagle 2 on February 10 to prevent the PKK and other terror groups from re-establishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks on Turkey.

Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle were initiated last June to ensure the safety of people and Turkey's borders.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, and EU has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.