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Turkish Pres. criticizes West for supplying PYD with weapons

ISTANBUL, Feb 6 (KUNA) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Saturday western countries for supplying the armed wing of the PKK's Syrian affiliate with weapons.
In the closing speech of the World Tourism Forum in Istanbul, Erdogan said that certain terrorist groups' actions in Iraq and in Syria, such as the PYD, were being ignored.
He said that the targets of the PYD (Democratic Union Party), and its armed wing the YPG, include everyone who did not think like them and join their group.
In an October report, Amnesty International stated that the YPG (Kurdish forces belonging to the People's Protection Units), had committed several war crimes while fighting IS militants.
The rights watchdog went on to assert that thousands of local residents had recently been forced to leave their homes -- while entire villages had been razed to the ground -- by YPG fighters.
"Their goal is not to lead our Kurdish brothers. On the contrary, they are trouble for our Kurdish brothers," Erdogan noted.
He said that organizations such as the PKK, PYD, and the YPG, as well as IS cannot reach success with their bloody attacks.
"We continue to struggle hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder with the Turkish army, Turkish police and our village guards, and will continue to do so," he added.
The PKK -- also considered a terrorist organization by the US and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in late July 2015.
But the US considers the PYD, "a reliable partner" in the fight against the so-called Islamic State.
On the other hand, Turkey, a NATO member, designates the group as a terrorist entity. (end) ta.hb