'Turkey is unique friend to oppressed in N.Syria'

By Ismail Hakki Demir

KAHRAMANMARAS, Turkey (AA) - Turkey is a friend that stands by oppressed peoples, including people in northern Syria under the PKK/YPG terrorist thumb, said the spokesman of Turkey's ruling party on Monday.

“The Republic of Turkey is a unique friend for those who seek it. The Republic of Turkey is a unique, giving friend which will never let down its friends or put its friends in a difficult situation,” said Omer Celik, at an event introducing mayoral candidates of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the province of Kahramanmaras.

Turkey is the only friend of Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds and all friendly people in the region and in Syria, said Celik.

The terrorist PKK/PYD in northern Syria will never be allowed to pose a threat to Turkey, he stressed.

Turkey has said a counter-terrorist operation against the PKK/YPG in northern Syria, east of the Euphrates River, will happen soon.

Using the excuse “We’re fighting against Daesh,” there are actors trying create a political formation for the terrorist PKK/PYD/YPG, said Celik, adding that Turkey will never allow this threat to its national security.

In its 30-year terrorist campaign against Turkey, the PKK is responsible for some 40,000 deaths. The PYD/YPG is its Syrian branch.

U.S. troops in Syria have been cooperating with the YPG/PKK to fight Daesh, against Turkey’s objections that using one terror group to fight another makes no sense.

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to "devastate" Turkey's economy if it attacked the "Kurds" in Syria, meaning the terrorist PKK/YPG.

Turkey rejects any conflation of "Kurds" with terrorist groups, stressing that the PKK/YPG terrorizes Kurds, Turkmens, and Arabs alike.