January 24, 2019•Update: January 24, 2019
WASHINGTON
Turkey’s ambassador in Washington on Wednesday hit back at a U.S. senator for his remarks supporting YPG/PKK terrorist group, refusing the conflation of Kurds in Syria with terrorists.
Serdar Kilic criticized Democrat Senator Bob Menendez for falsely asserting the terrorist group as the closest ally of Washington in a statement on a TV channel.
"For your information. The YPG/PYD does not represent the Syrian Kurds," Kilic said on Twitter.
“Ask the 300,000 Syrian Kurds who fled from their atrocities and took refuge in Turkey. They still can’t return to their homes in Syria, because your 'allies' will not let them," he added.
Speaking at a TV channel on Wednesday, Menendez said: “By erratically pulling US troops out of Syria, the Trump Admin will abandon the Kurds, our closest allies in this fight.”
Known with his anti-Turkey statements, Menendez also opposes U.S. President Donald Trump's recent decision to withdraw its soldiers from Syria describing it a "wrong" move.
With a surprise decision in December, Trump announced that the U.S. would be withdrawing its troops from Syria, following an Oct. 14 phone call with Erdogan in which the two leaders agreed on the need for more effective coordination over the war-torn country.
“U.S. Senator to be more knowledgeable on such a sensitive topic,” Kilic stressed.
"What you define so easily as 'Kurds, our closest allies' are in fact the YPG/PYD, the Syrian branch of the PKK, a terrorist group recognized as such by the U.S.," he said.
The PKK -- also listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children in its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey.
Reporting by Hakan Copur:Writing by Zehra Nur Düz
