UPDATE - Turkey slams double standard in US terror report

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

ANKARA (AA) - No mentioning of YPG/PYD and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) as terrorist organizations in the recently released U.S. terrorism report is one of the most obvious examples of the double standard approach, Turkey's Presidential Cabinet said on Monday.

The Cabinet criticized "Country Reports on Terrorism 2018" -- issued by the U.S. State Department on Friday.

Alongside of its border security, Turkey proceed this fight (against terrorists) for peace and future of all its friendly countries, especially NATO alliance, said in the statement released after the Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"However, the YPG, PKK terror group's Syrian offshoot, and PYD, its political wing, as well as FETO, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, are not mentioned in the Terrorism Report 2018, released by the U.S. State Department. This attitude is one of the most obvious examples of a double-standard approach on terrorist organizations," the statement said.

"[...] Turkey resolutely continues to fight all terrorist organizations especially PYD and FETO, as well as PKK and Daesh [ISIS]," it added.

The statement stressed that there are few countries in the world like Turkey which became victims of terror attacks and they have succeeded by effectively combatting terrorist organizations.

“In recent years, the humanitarian crisis in Syria has led to the establishment of another terror group YPG, PKK’s Syrian offshoot, as well as Daesh in our region," it added.

Referring to Operation Euphrates Shield, Operation Olive Branch and Operation Peace Spring, Turkey's anti-terror operations in northern Syria, the statement said Turkey gave priority to security of civilians while simultaneously fight terror groups.

"By creating de-escalation zone in Idlib with Russia, we prevented a huge tragedy involving 3 million people as well as we restricted movements of terror groups once again," the statement said.

In 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also 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.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG/PYD is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.