Top official in Türkiye lashes out at Sweden over provocative PKK/YPG events
Sweden must prevent terrorist groups from operating in the Nordic country, demands communications director Fahrettin Altun and accuses Stockholm of going back on its commitments to Ankara.
Turkey has demanded that Sweden immediately cut its support to anti-Ankara terrorists and their sympathizers in the Nordic country after loyalists of the PKK/YPG terror group organized a provocative event in the capital Stockholm.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this heinous act which was carried out very clearly and unequivocally by the members of this bloody terrorist organization there, and we call on the Swedish authorities to take the necessary measures without further delay and fulfill the demands that we have expressed very concretely. this team, Turkish communications director Fahrettin Altun told the TV channel TRT Haber, accuses Stockholm of going back on its previous promises to Ankara.
Reacting to a crowd of terror supporters gathered in front of the historic city hall in the capital Stockholm, Altun hung a puppet – – resembling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – – at the feet of a pole in front of the building and shared video footage of the moment on social media.
“We are not interested in words but rather in action. We expect that the commitments made in the Madrid Trilateral Memorandum will be fulfilled. This is our stance,” Altun said.
“Hand over terrorists”
Altun said that while Ankara is fighting for regional peace, it has also been fighting global terrorism for the past 20 years and has paid a heavy price in the process.
“In this regard, as president [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan has repeatedly said that we ask for support from our allies, especially Western countries, and actors we consider friends, he said.
“Unfortunately, we have seen for a long time that Western countries, European countries prefer to support terrorist organizations instead of supporting their ally, Türkiye. By protecting terrorist organizations, they are basically betraying their own social peace and global peace.”
Altun said Türkiye held several meetings with the Swedish government and told them to “stop terrorist activities on your own soil; cut your ties with FETO and the PKK” even before the NATO discussion began.
When Sweden’s membership in NATO came into question, Altun said, Ankara reiterated its demands, warning “as long as you protect terrorist organizations, you cannot be in alliance with us in NATO.”
“We urge you [Sweden] again to fulfill your commitment to hand over the terrorists to Turkey. We urge you to prevent these terrorist organizations from operating on your territories,” the Turkish official added.
The Turkish communications director warned that European countries that shelter terrorist groups would deprive them of the strategic, geopolitical and demographic opportunities that Türkiye will provide.
In its more than 35-year campaign of terror against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.
The terrorist organization Fetullah [or FETO] orchestrated a defeated coup in Türkiye on 15 July 2016 in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 others were injured.
FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Türkiye sets rules
Sweden formally applied to join NATO in May 2022, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by Russia’s war on Ukraine, which started on February 24.
But Türkiye – a powerful NATO member for more than 70 years – expressed objections, accusing the two countries of tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups, including the PKK and FETO.
Last June, Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum at a NATO summit to address Ankara’s legitimate security concerns, paving the way for their eventual membership in the alliance.
Altun said Turkey does not want Sweden’s bid to join NATO to be disrupted, but Stockholm must take strong action.
“As long as you protect terrorist organizations, you cannot be in alliance with us in NATO. If you are going to be in a real alliance with us in NATO, then support our fight against terrorism and terrorist organizations,” he said.
Altun said under the leadership of President Erdogan, Türkiye has reached a completely different position and is now a country that sets rules.
“Türkiye is now not only an island of stability but also a stabilizing power. Türkiye is now the primary negotiator in the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict from which the region and the world are suffering the most,” he said.
Ankara will continue to protect its position, he said, and fight global terrorism and eradicate terrorism at its source “regardless of the circumstances”.
Source: TRT World