PKK will ‘face destruction’ after April 2017: Interior Minister Soylu

VAN

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The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) will “face destruction” after April 2017, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has predicted .

“Let me be clear, these days are their [PKK] good days. They will face such massive destruction that they can’t even imagine,” Soylu said in a ruling Justice and Development (AKP) meeting in the eastern province of Van on Dec. 9.

“We are steadfastly carrying out our struggle in the winter. Our security forces, who say ‘Trust us, we will beat them,’ and who oversee many operations from [the southeastern provinces] Diyarbakır to Hakkari, are putting up a great struggle. We have made all our plans. We won’t let them form bases in the winter. We won’t leave any hiding spot, caves or shelters,” he added, noting that some 53 shelters in the eastern province of Bingöl had recently been destroyed. 

“[PKK militants] come to towns and threaten people and shopkeepers, forcing municipalities to give them money and sending that money to the mountains. And then they talk about democracy,” Soylu said.

Soylu also criticized arrested Mardin Mayor Ahmet Türk, accusing him of being silent on the murder of District Governor Muhammet Fatih Safitürk by PKK militants in the Derik district of the southeastern province of Mardin. 

“A district governor was martyred. A person who said, ‘I will serve my state here and set up an olive factory’ was martyred. But did that person you characterize as ‘good,’ Ahmet Türk, say anything about the killing? Did he express his condolences? You are supposed to be mayors. But for years you’ve been trying to trick people under that mask. That will change now. We will eliminate all terrorists,” he said.

“Didn’t they threaten villages in this country? Didn’t they scare our people? They ask ‘Why are you seizing the municipalities.’ But did we dig those trenches? Did we open fire on the unity of the people?” Soylu added.

The ousted mayor of Mardin, Ahmet Türk, was arrested on “terror” charges on Nov. 24, one of many Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) politicians suspended or arrested in recent months.