File photo of PKK fighters standing in formation
European countries have rejected handing over nearly 650 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and far-left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) members to Turkey despite the red notice.
According to Turkish security sources, Germany has refused to send nearly 300 fighters of groups like the PKK, DHKP-C and Hezbollah while Denmark has supported Roj TV, PKK’s Kurdish-language channel broadcasts from Denmark.
Denmark has also not sent some back “under the guise of that they did not attend in active terrorist deeds in Turkey” and carried out activities against Turkey, the sources claim.
Similarly, Greece is also accused of not extraditing a DHKP-C suspect accused of attacking Turkey’s Justice and Development (AK) Party HQ and Justice Ministry.
Over the last two weeks, the PKK has carried out attacks against Turkish security forces, killing police officers and soldiers in the eastern region, as Ankara continues a security campaign that has so far resulted in the detention of over 1,300 people.
According to the data, at least 11 civilians, including an Iranian national were also killed in such attacks, while 101 people, including three Iranians were injured during the same period between July 7 and August 7.
The recent developments appeared to end a delicate ceasefire that brought relative calm to Turkey over the last two years after Ankara launched the ‘solution process’ in 2013 to end a conflict spanning three decades that has resulted in the deaths of 40,000 people.
Meanwhile, Turkish police have launched nationwide operations against other outlawed organisations, including as well as the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H), linked to the PKK.