Army denies cooperation with PKK over the removal of historic tomb in Syria

ANKARA

DHA Photo

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has categorically denied claims it cooperated with an organization affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) during the relocation of the historic Süleyman Şah Tomb inside Syria in late February, vowing it will never take the terrorist organization as its interlocutor.

Claims on the cooperation between the TSK and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), an offshoot of the PKK and the political wing of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia in Syria, were reported by the media after the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, mentioned the “spirit of Eşme” during his historic statement given on March 21. Öcalan indirectly referred to this collaboration by mentioning Eşme, a Syrian village where Turkey’s historic Süleyman Şah Tomb was relocated to by an operation on Feb 21. 

Recalling that the army has been fighting against this terrorist organization for the last 31 years, the TSK strongly condemned those associating the army with the terrorist organization.

The TSK said it is continuing its fight against the terrorists upon the instructions of the government and within the legal framework, adding, “As we have stated numerous times, the TSK will not be an actor of internal political fights and will continue to fulfill its duties of a democratic, secular, social state and rule of law.”

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy parliamentary group leader, İdris Baluken, who is part of a team that meets with Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), lost no time in reacting to the statement by the military, describing it as an intervention in politics.

He called for a parliamentary inspection to prevent such intervention.

“The power and will of the Turkish military is at the same age as the country’s political history,” he said in his official call for the inspection on behalf of his party.