ISTANBUL — "We know who you are connected to. We are well aware of your activities," Erdoğan said, referring to BDP's connections with the PKK. The BDP has negotiated with the PKK members in the past for the releases of soldiers and civilians it kidnapped in the past years. Also criticizing the terrorist organization, Erdoğan said it was hard to categorize the group. "They are terrorists, mobsters, bandits. They extort money from people," he said, in reference to PKK's recent kidnappings of some locals in the eastern Turkey for ransom and past incidences of militants extorting money from businesses.