On Saturday 3 February, Turkey's ambassador to the EU, Faruk Kaymakci, said he regretted that the EU limits its fight against terrorism to so-called Islamic State (Daesh).
"When the EU speaks about the fight against terrorism, it only includes Daesh", he said at a meeting with media in Brussels (see other article). Turkey is currently fighting against the PKK, HPG, YPG and FETO movement.
Kaymakci also thought the European response was "too light" to the Turkish offensive in the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in Syria. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini had told press of her concerns about this action (see EUROPE 11944). By contrast, Kaymakci stated that "NATO supported the Afrin operation because it is not directed against the Kurds of Syria or any other nation, but aims to liberate this HPG, YPG and Daesh area".
He said Turkey was doing "its utmost to avoid a humanitarian disaster". "We talk about civilians when we talk about the YPG, but not when we talk about the fight against Daesh", he regretted. In Kaymakci's view, no serious report has thus far been made about deaths among civilians in Syria. He stated that there were many civilians in the area.
Kaymakci said 'liberation' of the area from the HDP, YPG and Daesh would enable 700,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey to return to their homes. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)