European politicians denounce Türkiye's airstrikes on YPG in Syria

A border outpost hit by airstrikes in Hasakah, Syria. (Photo: SOHR)

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Several European politicians have denounced Türkiye for its airstrikes on Syria and Iraq yesterday (November 20).

Türkiye's warplanes hit 89 targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the People's Protection Units (YPG) in the two countries, according to the National Defense Ministry.

Among the casualties were YPG members, Syrian army personnel, civilians and a journalist, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Ankara said the strikes were carried out in retaliation for the deadly bomb attack in İstanbul on November 13. Both the PKK and the YPG denied involvement in the bombing.

The European Free Alliance (EFA) said on Twitter, "EFA strongly condemns Turkey's continued attacks against Kurdistan including the latest attacks on Kobani. These attacks in North East Syria threaten stability across the entire region and weakens the fight against ISIS. Europe must act.

MEP Nikolaj Villumsen representing Denmark's Red-Green Alliance and the deputy chair of the Left group, tweeted, "The Turkish attacks on Kobane and other Kurdish cities in Northeastern Syria and Northern Iraq is not only a clear violation of international law but also a destabilizing of safe areas hosting millions of people and a weakening of the fight against ISIS and terror."

Andreas Schieder, head of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) delegation in the European Parliament, wrote, "So sad and dangerous: Tonight Turkish attacks started, not only on Kobanê, but also in other cities in Rojava and Iraq. This Turkish bombing of the "safe" areas of northern Syria threatens the whole region. We call for an immediate stop of this hostilities."

Meanwhile, Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, said the US wanted "to make sure that nothing is done to destabilize the very difficult situation in north-east Syria," as quoted by the Financial Times.

"We want to try and maintain stability there and obviously we do want to make sure that the border with Türkiye is secure," McGurk said at a security conference in Bahrain. (SD/VK)