Turkiye strongly condemns attack at children’s festival in Switzerland

By Ali Murat Alhas and Omer Faruk Yildiz

ANKARA (AA) – Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Sunday denouncing an attack by supporters of the PKK terrorist group on Turkish participants of a children’s festival in Basel, Switzerland.

"We strongly condemn the attack by the supporters of the terrorist organization on the 23 April International Children's Festival," the ministry said in a written statement.

Stressing that the terror group and its supporters degraded themselves to the extent of targeting a children’s festival in the heart of Europe, the ministry said the latest incident was yet further evidence of the PKK's true colors.

"We wish a speedy recovery to our citizens injured amid the attack and expect the perpetrators of this heinous act to be brought to justice immediately and receive their due punishment," it added.

According to interviewed event-goers, a group of 30 PKK supporters first verbally attacked Turkish families taking part in the festival and then threw iron barriers that protected the celebration area at them, leaving at least six wounded, who were taken to a hospital.

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