MFA spokesperson says US terror report distorts facts

ANKARA

The U.S. State Department’s 2021 Country Report on Terrorism deliberately distorts Türkiye’s fight against terrorist organizations that pose a direct threat to its security, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç has said.

Türkiye continues its fight against terrorist organizations, especially PKK/PYD/YPG, DHKP-C, FETÖ, and DAESH, based on law, and contributes effectively to international efforts in this field, the statement said.

“The mention in the report of the so-called ‘SDF,’ an extension of the PKK terrorist organization, as the U.S.’ partner in the fight against DAESH, reveals that the U.S. authorities still have not realized the wrongdoing of using another terrorist organization in the fight against a terrorist organization,” the spokesperson said.

“It is also strange that the report includes the allegations that our counter-terrorism operations against Syria and Iraq have caused civilian casualties, referring to biased media reports,” he added.

The “terrorist organization character of FETÖ, which was the perpetrator of the bloody coup attempt in our country” in 2016 and was involved in criminal activities in every country it is in, has been revealed by the Turkish judiciary through judicial decisions based on concrete evidence, Bilgiç said.

“Therefore, it is unacceptable to describe our fight against FETÖ members as politically motivated in the report. Our expectation from the United States is to end the presence and activities of FETÖ in its country as soon as possible,” the spokesperson noted.

“The fact that the report includes allegations based on hearsay and biased press reports raises doubts about the seriousness of the report,” said his statement.

Ankara calls on the U.S. to show solidarity with Türkiye in accordance with the spirit of alliance and to adopt a principled, consistent, determined and effective approach in the fight against terrorism, he added.