Turkish Defence Minister accuses PKK of executing 13 Turkish citizens in Iraq -

Istanbul: Turkey accused that the Kurdish organisation, Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), killed 13 Turkish citizens in Iraq. The Turkish Defence Minister informed that their dead bodies were found during the Turkish military’s action in northern Iraq. The Turkish Defence Minister said that 48 PKK members and 3 Turkish soldiers were killed, in action initiated by the Turkish military, in northern Iraq. But PKK claimed that the 13 Turkish people killed, were not ordinary citizens and they were soldiers, spies and policemen. After this skirmish, indications are that the conflict between the Kurdish organisation PKK and Turkey will intensify.

The aggressive Kurdish organisation PKK, from Iraq, has been declared as a terrorist organisation by Turkey. Turkey had initiated an action intruding into the Iraq border against PKK, claiming a threat to this organisation’s Turkish integrity. Last Wednesday, Turkish military launched an attack on the PKK, under the Claw-Eagle 2 mission. Turkish Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar, informed that 48 PKK personnel were gunned down in the action. Defence Minister Akar clarified that 3 Turkish soldiers were killed and 3 were injured during the conflict.

Turkish Defence Minister announced during a press conference ‘But, during the mission, the Turkish soldiers found dead bodies of 13 Turkish citizens in a cave. PKK terrorists abducted them and killed them. This was exposed in the interrogation of the PKK terrorists caught alive.’ Ebrahim Kalin, the Turkish President’s spokesman, expressed anger saying that the world is quietly watching the killing of Turkish citizens at the hands of PKK, but Turkey will not remain quiet. But PKK has given a different version in the matter.

PKK clarified that these 13 were killed in the conflict with Turkey. These people were soldiers, spies and policemen and not common citizens, they have not been executed, but were killed during the conflict. PKK does not execute any detainees.’ Iraqi leader Hadi Al-Amiri has warned that Turkey should immediately stop the action initiated in northern Iraq.

Turkey has continued the action, claiming a threat for Turkish integrity from the Kurdish organisations in Iraq and Syria. The Kurdish organisations are putting up a resistance against it. Some countries in the Gulf are supporting the Kurds from Iraq and Syria. Kurdish people are scattered in many parts of Turkey, Syria and Iraq and the Kurdish organisations are trying to create an independent country’ Greater Kurdistan’ to relive the Kurds of the atrocities. The Kurds have started an armed conflict for this purpose.

These Kurdish groups are receiving sympathy from some Gulf countries as these groups are fighting against terrorist organisations like the IS. The United States also had adopted a stand in favour of the Kurds. Great differences had developed between the United States and Turkey over this issue. Now, after the Biden administration has taken over the reins of the United States, there is a thick possibility that the relations between the United States and Turkey will be strained further. This will benefit the Kurds and there is a possibility that the United States will support the Kurds. This has made Turkey more restless.