UPDATE - Türkiye warns allied countries not to support PKK terror group: Defense chief

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER; ADDS BACKGROUND

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye has warned allied countries not to support PKK/KCK/YPG terror group for any reason, including in the pretext of fighting the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday.

"In the recent talks with the allied countries, necessary warnings and reminders were made to them about not to support the PKK/KCK/YPG, a bloody terrorist organization that attacks our borders and our people, for whatever reason, including the pretext of fighting Daesh/ISIS, not to allow the use of their own flag and uniforms that will make it difficult to distinguish them from terrorists, keeping terrorists away from their areas, and to cut off all relations with terrorist organizations as soon as possible," Akar told the reporters.

Akar said the PKK/KCK/YPG has recently targeted civilian settlements and carried out "vile and bloody" attacks on innocent citizens, regardless of children, women, students, or teachers.

"The attitudes of those who perceive the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization as a danger from thousands of kilometers away, about our necessary measures against terrorist organizations that target our civilian settlements, including schools, and massacre our innocent people, are unacceptable," he added.

Regarding the US statements on Türkiye's possible Syria ground operation, Akar said: "They asked us to reevaluate. We also explained our sensitivities and wanted the promises to be kept. We stressed that they should understand us."

Recently, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword in northern areas of Iraq and Syria, a cross-border aerial campaign against the terror group PKK, which has illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan and sometimes execute attacks on Turkish soil.

The Turkish National Defense Ministry said the operation was carried out in line with the right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

After the air operation was launched on Nov. 20, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also signaled a ground operation into northern Iraq and northern Syria to eliminate the terror threat.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the European Union, and the US, and is responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the terrorist PKK's Syrian branch.

- Türkiye 'only country' fighting Daesh at close range in field

Akar pointed out that the terrorist organization PKK/KCK/YPG has increased its harassment and attacks aimed at disrupting the peace and stability in northern Syria.

"Utmost care and sensitivity is shown to ensure that civilians, historical, religious, and cultural assets, the environment and coalition forces are not harmed. Our only target is terrorists. Any ethnic, religious, or sectarian structure cannot be a target for us. Turks and Kurds are brothers," he said.

Akar also reminded the allied countries that Türkiye is "the only country fighting Daesh/ISIS" at close range in the field.

"Türkiye, which has neutralized 4,500 radical Daesh terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria, is ready for all kinds of cooperation to combat Daesh and all other terrorist organizations," he said.

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* Writing by Diyar Guldogan.