Officials of Turkey's ruling party on Monday criticized the US’ "scandalous" statement on a recent massacre by the terror group PKK.
"This statement is a scandal, it is unacceptable. It is in deep contradiction with the United States' global role and approach to counter-terrorism," Naci Bostanci, head of Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group, said on Twitter.
Bostanci said the statement exacerbated the Turkish nation's suffering, "instead of sharing" it, after the terror attack that saw 13 Turkish nationals executed by PKK terrorists in Gara, northern Iraq.
His remarks came after the US State Department issued a statement on the incident, saying in part: “If reports of the death of Turkish civilians at the hands of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization, are confirmed, we condemn this action in the strongest possible terms."
What kind of “confirmation” the US expects is a grave question, AK Party spokesman Omer Celik said on Twitter, adding that such an attitude only serves to support terrorism.
Referring to longstanding US support for the YPG, the PKK’s Syrian branch, Celik added: “Those who know the PKK’s address while giving weapons lose this address when the PKK commits massacres. Those who know every move of the PKK like the back of their hands try not to name the killer when the PKK kills our citizens.”
Turkey is in a determined fight against the terrorist PKK, including all its branches, and expects principled support from its allies, said Celik.
Meanwhile, the AK Party's deputy group chair said Turkey's national defense and interior ministers would brief parliament on Tuesday.
"The office of our parliament speaker received the request from Vice President Fuat Oktay. The national defense minister and interior minister will address the general assembly on the issue tomorrow," Ozlem Zengin told reporters in parliament.
The bodies of 13 Turkish citizens were found during Turkey's anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday.
Turkish forces launched Operation Claw-Eagle 2 on Feb. 10 to prevent the PKK and other terror groups from re-establishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks on Turkey.
Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle were initiated last June to ensure the safety of Turkey's people and borders.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
