Türkiye warns allied countries against supporting PKK terror group: Akar

Türkiye has warned allied countries not to support PKK/KCK/YPG terror group for any reason, including in the pretext of fighting the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organisation, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said.

Ankara has conveyed to allied countries "not to support the PKK/KCK/YPG, a bloody terrorist organisation that attacks our borders and our people, for whatever reason, including the pretext of fighting Daesh/ISIS," Akar told reporters on Thursday.

The minister added that they have also been told to keep "terrorists away from their areas and to cut off all relations with terrorist organisations as soon as possible".

Akar said the PKK/KCK/YPG has recently targeted civilian settlements and carried out "vile and bloody" attacks on innocent citizens, regardless of children, women, students, or teachers.

"The attitudes of those who perceive the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organisation as a danger from thousands of kilometres away, about our necessary measures against terrorist organisations that target our civilian settlements, including schools, and massacre our innocent people, are unacceptable," he added.

Regarding the US statements on Türkiye's possible Syria ground operation, Akar said: "They asked us to reevaluate. We also explained our sensitivities and wanted the promises to be kept. We stressed that they should understand us."

Recently, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword in northern areas of Iraq and Syria, a cross-border aerial campaign against the PKK, which has illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan and sometimes execute attacks on Turkish soil.

The Turkish National Defence Ministry said the operation was in line with the right of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

After the air operation was launched on November 20, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also signalled a ground operation into northern Iraq and northern Syria to eliminate the terror threat.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the European Union, and the US and is responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian branch.

Türkiye 'only country' fighting Daesh at close range

Akar pointed out that the PKK/KCK/YPG has increased its harassment and attacks to disrupt peace and stability in northern Syria.

"Utmost care and sensitivity are shown to ensure that civilians, historical, religious, and cultural assets, the environment and coalition forces are not harmed. Our only target is terrorists. Any ethnic, religious, or sectarian structure cannot be a target for us. Turks and Kurds are brothers," he said.

Akar also reminded the allied countries that Türkiye is "the only country fighting Daesh/ISIS" at close range in the field.

"Türkiye, which has neutralised 4,500 radical Daesh terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria, is ready for all kinds of cooperation to combat Daesh and all other terrorist organisations," he added.

READ MORE: Türkiye committed to eliminating PKK terrorist group: Erdogan