Turkish official denounces PKK terror group’s death threats against Dutch analyst

ANKARA

Türkiye's communications director on Monday denounced death threats by the PKK terrorist group against a Dutch analyst, saying those who "can't tolerate the truth are now threatening her life."

In a documentary produced by Turkish public broadcaster TRT World that uncovered new details about a bomb attack by the terrorist YPG/PKK in November last year that killed six people on Istanbul’s busy Istiklal Avenue, "Dutch researcher Rena Netjes sheds light on the terror group's atrocious attacks," Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter.

"Those who can't tolerate the truth are now threatening her life. This is the terror organization that you are protecting!" Altun said.

TRT World in its documentary titled After the Rain: Families Seeking Justice interviewed families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Istanbul.

"In memory of our daughters Yagmur and Ecrin, who were murdered by the PKK/YPG, TRT World's "After the Rain: Families Seeking Justice" documentary exposes the bloody face of the terror group for the world to see," he added.

In the documentary, Netjes pointed out that the attack on Istiklal Street was similar to the YPG/PYD’s attacks in northern Syria.

"It is a similar kind of attack. Such kinds of attacks happen in northern Syria from the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) area on civilians many times, almost daily."

Speaking about the death threats she received from the PKK/YPG terror group, Netjes went public, saying: "For the past few weeks, I have been receiving death threats and other warnings from Rojava Kurdish accounts (including from Paris).”

"Tonight, I got emails that they made my profile on lesbian/gay/sex accounts. I pay a price for exposing PYD propaganda," she said on Twitter on Sunday.

The PKK and its Syrian branch the YPG have used terrorist bases across Türkiye's border in northern Iraq and northern Syria to plot and carry out attacks on Türkiye. The group has worked to create a terrorist corridor along the Syrian border, threatening both Syrian locals and nearby Turkish residents.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019). Turkish officials have suggested that another such operation is coming.