MHP leader criticizes US over PKK move

ANKARA

Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli on Nov. 8 criticized the United States’ decision to put multimillion-dollar bounties on three senior members of the illegal PKK, saying that Washington has attempted to elevate the YPG, which is deemed by Turkey as an offshoot of the PKK in Syria.

“They put bounties on the heads of PKK terrorists. It is the U.S. who best knows the location and coordination of these three terrorists. If they want, they will find these murderers very easily,” Bahçeli said on his Twitter account.

“They know very well that the PKK equals YPG,” he said, adding that what they wanted to do is to promote the YPG, which is cooperating with the U.S. in fighting against ISIL militants.

“If they suppose they would establish a so-called big Kurdistan [state] along our southern border, the Turkish nation and Turkey will never allow this betrayal,” Bahçeli also said.

On Nov. 6, the U.S. Department of State put a bounty on three key PKK members, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara announced.

Under the Rewards for Justice Program, people who give information on the identification or location of Murat Karayılan, Cemil Bayık and Duran Kalkan are eligible for rewards of $3-5 million.

The announcement followed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer’s official visit to capital Ankara.

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