Serbia demands info over claims of Serbian sniper on PKK’s side

ANKARA

AA Photo

The Serbian embassy has demanded official information from Turkish authorities over claims a Serbian sniper was arrested during ongoing operations in the country’s southeast. 

“The embassy expects to be officially informed about the case by the Turkish side, so the relevant Turkish and Serbian institutions could together work on its clarification, in the aim of the fight against terrorism,” read the written statement issued by the embassy on Jan. 31.  

The statement followed media reports claiming a Serbian national was arrested by the Turkish police in the Cizre district of southeastern Şırnak province. Reports asserted the Serbian national, whose identity has not been yet revealed, was hired by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as a sniper. 

“The Republic of Serbia strongly opposes any eventual participation of its citizens in any armed conflicts in third countries. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has passed a law which sharply sanctions any such activity,” said the embassy’s statement. 

“Bearing that in mind, the allegations cannot and should not be in any case or way related to the official policy or activities of the Republic of Serbia and its institutions,” it added.