A recent report released this week by the International Center for Terrorism and Security Studies (UTGAM) on the PKK terrorist organization and its offshoots argued that the deadly civil war in Syria did not only pave the way for the expansion of radical groups like al-Qaida and Daesh, but it also facilitated the expansion of the PKK through its established franchises such as the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK).
Underlining the fact that the PKK has taken the opportunity to strengthen and increase its presence in both Syria and conflict-torn Iraq, the report criticized Western powers that praise the PYD for its alleged struggle against Daesh and fecklessly refuse to acknowledge the clear ties between the PKK and its offshoots.
The report said it was contrary to Western values to give support to an extremist Marxist group that aims to spread socialism.
"Scores of Marxists and anarchists of all stripes have found a refuge by association with the PKK and its regional franchises in the name of fighting Daesh. When the West has extended economic, diplomatic, and military assistance to branches in the PKK's regional terror network, it automatically embraces 'Marxist allies' but ignores the many ramifications that will follow in the short and mid-term," it said.
Implying that the PKK and its ideology pose a threat for European countries as well, the report added, "The so-called 'democratic autonomy' or 'democratic confederalism' project, which is contradicted by the PKK's practices on the ground everywhere, may be a 'portable ideology' to undermine the mainstream, disrupt the middle way, or upset the status quo in and beyond the Middle East. The anarchists, socialists, and Marxist revolutionaries fighting alongside the PKK and its franchises at the moment will sooner or later return to Europe and the U.S. with many criminal connections, acquaintances, tools, and dangerous ideas in their minds and backpacks."
Emphasizing al-Qaida's franchise terror scheme, the report also likened the PKK to ETA, the armed Basque separatist group in Spain and the IRA in Ireland, and highlighted the fact that the PKK has spread to four countries.
"Owing to the distinct nature of 'Kurdish geography,' which cross-cuts Iranian, Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian national boundaries, the PKK has been uniquely positioned to deliver franchises in an entirely new politically opportune structure due to the Syrian revolt in 2011. Similar to al-Qaida, the PKK's affiliates in Syria have exploited the vacuum left by the revolt for their own narrow ideological purposes and project in apparent collusion with the Assad regime," it said.
The report concluded that the PKK and its offshoots were authoritarian against the Kurds who oppose its authority and warned the Western countries against establishing ties with a criminal and terror group.
