France condemns PKK attacks on Kurdish security forces
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – France on Saturday “strongly” condemned attacks carried out in recent days by Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) against Kurdish security forces in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province.
A statement from the French foreign ministry also offered Paris’ condolences to the victims’ families.
#Irak | La France condamne avec la plus grande fermeté les attaques menées ces derniers jours dans le gouvernorat de Dohouk contre les forces de sécurité de la région autonome du Kurdistan.
— France Diplomatie?? (@francediplo) November 7, 2020
Lire notre déclaration ➡️ https://t.co/kRZPrSmqsL pic.twitter.com/OfsFRSrOWJ
“The Kurdish forces, along with the Iraqi federal security forces, are our partners in the fight against Daesh (ISIS),” the statement began. “France condemns these actions against them, as well as attacks of any kind against the sovereignty and integrity of Iraq and the stability of the autonomous region of Kurdistan.”
“France recalls in this regard that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is considered as a terrorist organization by the European Union.”
Last week, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces accused the PKK of carrying out three separate attacks against them, resulting in two deaths and five injuries. The PKK denied responsibility.
The Iraqi government has also condemned the incidents, calling them an “attack on Iraq’s sovereignty.”
Read More: Iraq ‘condemns’ PKK attack on Peshmerga, vows to take measures: statement
The United States on Thursday condemned in strong terms the PKK attacks on Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces and extended condolences to victims.
US State Department "strongly condemns" PKK attacks on Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces. Washington also extended condolences to victims of the attacks, reiterated support for Erbil to "root out terrorism" — Statement. #TwitterKurds pic.twitter.com/O0KfaqXKic
— Kurdistan 24 English (@K24English) November 5, 2020
The Peshmerga Affairs Committee of the Kurdistan Parliament said in a statement on Saturday that during one of the clashes, a Peshmerga, Hersh Jawhr Muhammad, was killed, and several Peshmerga were injured in Chamanke subdistrict of Amedi district on November 04.
“The Peshmerga Affairs Committee of the Kurdistan Parliament condemns this criminal act and intra-Kurdish aggression, and we call on all Kurdish forces to avoid conflict.”
It noted further that “disagreement must be resolved through talks.”
“War is destructive and no one is the winner in the use of armed attacks and violence in the Kurdistan Region against Peshmerga forces, which are the official constitutional military forces that have helped to bring about and protect Kurdistan Region’s freedom and constitutional status, and are part of Federal Iraq’s defense system. ”
The PKK, headquartered in the Kurdistan Region's Zagros Mountains, has been fighting a decades-long conflict against Ankara over Kurdish rights in Turkey that has led to tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. Rural residents and the local environment continue to suffer from ongoing clashes, including multiple civilian fatalities and other casualties.
Although the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly asked the PKK and the Turkish government to take their fight elsewhere, tensions between the KRG and the PKK have recently reached new levels to the point of actual armed conflict.
Editing by Khrush Najari