Terror group PKK is threat to social peace, public order in Europe: Türkiye

PKK supporters' provocation incidents in Belgium once again prove that the PKK terrorist organisation is a "threat to social peace and public order in Western Europe", the Turkish Foreign Ministry has said.

"Thanks to the common sense of our citizens living in Belgium, and the effective intervention of the Belgian security authorities, the incidents were prevented from escalating. The local authorities have begun to investigate the perpetrators," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

PKK militants gathered in Leuven, Belgium, carried out attacks targeting Turkish citizens living in the cities of Heusden-Zolder and Hauthalen on 24 March.

The Turkish authorities swiftly responded to the events by reaching out to Belgian counterparts in Brussels and Ankara.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan promptly engaged in a telephone conversation with Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib that very night, the statement said.

"Additionally, Turkish diplomatic representatives in Belgium met with our citizens in the affected cities to provide support and assistance."

"Developments are being closely followed at all levels and necessary steps are being taken," the foreign ministry added.

Provocation in front of European Parliament

A group of sympathisers of the PKK terror group on Monday tried to create a provocation in front of the European Parliament in Brussels.

The group of some 150 sympathisers chanted anti-Turkish slogans with pieces of cloth symbolising the terror group and posters of its imprisoned ringleader Abdullah Ocalan before growing violent.

The group dismantled barricades surrounding Schuman Square and threw them at the police. The police responded by shooting tear gas at the supporters of the terrorist group, who also attacked them with chairs and stones.

The crowd then tried to march to the street where the Turkish Embassy in Brussels is located, then to the square where EU institutions are located, but faced police obstacles.

During its terror campaign against Türkiye spanning over 35 years, the PKK, designated as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has caused the deaths of over 40,000 individuals, encompassing women, children, and infants.

'The rhetoric of democracy'

The attacks in Belgium, along with separate assaults against Turkish nationals in France, were met with condemnation by Akif Cagatay Kilic, a chief advisor to Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks targeting Turkish citizens in Belgium and France. EU member countries no longer have the opportunity to hide behind the rhetoric of democracy," Kilic said on X.

Underlining that "turning a blind eye" to the PKK's terrorist activities in Europe was never acceptable, Kilic said that those "waving pictures of terrorist leaders and organization flags, attacking innocent civilians, and resorting to violence like organised crime syndicates" should not be freely roaming the streets.

He said Türkiye would track down supporters of the PKK "to the fullest extent within all official and judicial authorities in the countries" where they reside.

Kilic also emphasised the need for worldwide collective efforts to combat racism and terrorism.

Embassy monitoring the situation

Türkiye's president on Tuesday spoke over the phone with one of his country's nationals injured in an attack by sympathisers of the PKK terrorist organisation in Belgium.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his get-well wishes to 16-year-old Efe Tapmaz and inquired about the state of his health and his treatment.

Erdogan said his chief advisor Kilic would be monitoring the process.

For his part, Tapmaz thanked Erdogan for his concern and said he was in good condition.

"They are immoral, they are vile, they are despicable. The official authorities there and those in our embassy are also monitoring (the situation), as are we," Erdogan assured Tapmaz.