Turkish media have condemned Germany after propaganda photos of the PKK-affiliated Democratic Union Party's (PYD) armed wing People's Protection Units (YPG) appeared in a magazine published and monitored by the country's Defense Ministry.
A recent article in the "Y Magazine," available only to German soldiers and military personnel, lauded the terrorist YPG's efforts against Daesh in Raqqa. Titled "Remnants of the War," the article focuses on the battle for the former Daesh bastion, Raqqa.
The article refers to YPG terrorists as Kurdish militia and contends that the group has waged a modern-day battle against Daesh in Raqqa.
The article drew the ire of the Turkish media, with a number of them dubbing the move "scandalous."
Despite Germany recently banning YPG flags, they were displayed explicitly in the army magazine. The publication also violated a directive issued by German Interior Minister Thomas De Maizière earlier in March when he sent instructions to the federal states and police to ban symbols associated with the PKK and its Syrian affiliates, the PYD and the YPG.
The German minister argued that the symbols in question caused "a significant emotional impact" and should therefore be forbidden as they were "especially suited to promote the PKK, which is banned in Germany."
Turkey has long accused Germany, a country with which it has a history of partnership and alliances dating back to the 19th century, of turning a blind eye to activities of the PKK, which is officially classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union.
Supporters of the terrorist group have so far been allowed to hold pro-PKK rallies and many other activities, including fundraisers and large-scale propaganda, as well as brainwashing and recruiting youths for terrorist camps in Syria and Iraq.
In a similar scandal, Left Party (Die Linke) Deputy Sevim Dağdelen recently displayed a YPG flag in the German parliament as she called the ban "disgraceful," claiming that the PKK-offshoot was bravely fighting Daesh just like German soldiers in Syria.
