Türkiye’s permanent UN representative, Ahmet Yildiz, issued a warning on Wednesday regarding the threat from the PKK/YPG terror group. He emphasized Türkiye’s dedication to Syria’s territorial integrity, stating that “one of the most dangerous outcomes of the Syrian conflict is the emergence of terrorist organizations exploiting chaos to advance their separatist goals.”
Yildiz called these groups the greatest threat to Syria’s territorial integrity during a UN Security Council session focused on Syria. He expressed gratitude to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other member states for their support following a terror attack in Ankara that killed five and injured 22, asserting that “all evidence indicates that the PKK orchestrated this attack.”
Reiterating Türkiye’s concerns about the PKK and its affiliates, the YPG, PYD, and SDF, Yildiz urged all UN members to include the PKK and its offshoots in their discussions about terrorist organizations in Syria. He noted that the PKK, designated as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has caused over 40,000 deaths in its 40-year campaign against Türkiye, including among women and children. The YPG is identified as the PKK’s Syrian branch.
He pointed out that PKK terrorists often seek refuge in northern Iraq to plan attacks on Türkiye and that in northern Syria, they threaten the Turkish border and disrupt local communities while attacking Turkish forces aimed at stabilizing the region, previously plagued by terrorist activity due to a power vacuum.
Yildiz also raised alarms about escalating violence in the Middle East, stating, “The spillover from the Gaza conflict has shifted from a risk to a harsh reality.” He condemned Israel’s aggressive actions in Gaza and Lebanon, which he noted have severe consequences for Syria and the wider region.
He called on the international community not to neglect the Syrian population suffering from a lack of political resolution and warned that the worsening crisis in Syria presents significant risks to regional stability in an already volatile environment. “All parties must exercise maximum restraint to prevent further escalation,” he stressed.
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