Turkey urges stronger global solidarity against PKK, FETO terrorists

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey on Tuesday called for strong international solidarity against the PKK and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) – the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey – and other terror groups, stressing that their members and ringleaders should not find safe haven.

In a video message sent to day one of the Interpol General Assembly in Istanbul, which lasts through Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that Turkey – located at the intersection of Africa, Asia, and Europe – faces various security threats.

Instability in the region creates new threats in addition to the terrorist PKK, which Turkey has fought a four-decade war against, he said.

In its terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children. and infants.

The refugee crisis, the emergence of the YPG/PKK – the terrorist PKK’s Syria branch – and Daesh/ISIS are among the threats that originated from the instability in Syria and Iraq, at Turkey’s doorstep, Erdogan said.

Turkey is the only country that directly fought Daesh/ISIS, he said, adding that intelligence provided by Turkey played a role in the thwarting of numerous terror attacks.

Praising the cooperation between Turkey and Interpol on the extradition of criminals including pedophiles, drug smugglers, and murderers, Erdogan, however, expressed Turkey’s frustration concerning lack of cooperation in the extradition of PKK and FETO terrorists.

In this context, Erdogan criticized some European countries and international organizations for interfering with Interpol, calling on members of the international police group to support the struggle against terrorism unconditionally.

Turkey has criticized the US and Greece, among others, for failing to extradite FETO members and ringleaders.

- 'Turkey ready to share its experience'

Also speaking at the assembly, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that Turkey is ready to share with fellow Interpol members its experience with counter-terrorism, the fight against drug smuggling, and irregular migration.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Turkey, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Turkey was one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terror group.

The country has since been attacked by its terrorists multiple times. The organization has carried out at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks, killing 315 people and injuring hundreds more.

In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.