Asking for help from the PKK-affiliated Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) in the fight against DAESH, is an indicator of weakness and an extremely wrong approach, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in reference to the U.S.-led anti-DAESH coalition on Tuesday. Speaking to a Turkish daily in Brussels, where he is to attend Ankara's EU negotiations for the opening of Chapter 17 on economic and monetary policy, Çavuşoğlu criticized the anti-DAESH coalition countries allied with the PYD in Syria, saying: "If 65 countries in the coalition cannot challenge DAESH and appeal to a terrorist organization, this is a manifestation of a wrong approach and incompetence." He said this "dangerous approach" means that "we cannot fight terror everywhere; we cannot cope with every problem."
He also claimed that the reason Russia supports the PYD is that it has links with the PKK and cooperates with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Previously, intelligence reports have said that the PKK terrorist organization is closely affiliated with the PYD and its armed People's Protection Units (YPG) and Women's Protection Units (YPJ). According to reports, three high-ranking PKK militants, one of whom is a woman, operate within the PYD. Some claim that the PYD, which refused the help the Free Syrian Army in its fight against DAESH, is aiming to declare independence in the regions it controls.
Regarding the latest tension with Russia, Çavuşoğlu said: "We are also prepared to counter the steps that Moscow has taken. We are waiting patiently in order to not apply a counter-step or sanction package. However, this will not last forever."
According to Çavuşoğlu, he could not receive any response from Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari during a phone call about providing security for Turkish soldiers in Iraq who face increasing threats, due to his statement claiming that 70,000 Shiite fights fled from 2,000 DAESH fighters and failed to protect the Turkish Consulate in Mosul in 2014.
DAESH kidnapped 49 consular staff from the Turkish Consulate in Mosul and released them in September 2014. The hostages, including Turkey's consul-general, diplomats' children and soldiers, were taken hostage on June 11 in a lightning advance by the terrorist organization.
