Turkey Accuses PYD of 'Torturing' Kobane Kurds
Turkey on Tuesday accused the main Kurdish political party in Syria of "torturing" Syrian Kurds who fled to Turkey when Islamic State jihadists launched their assault on the border town of Kobane.
Turkey has so far taken in some 200,000 refugees from Kobane just a few kilometers (miles) from the border with Syria where Kurdish fighters have been battling the jihadists to defend the town.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the refugees had fled to Turkey "to escape pressure" from the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is affiliated with Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
"Our brothers came here to escape pressure from PYD. They put a great deal of pressure on those in Kobane who don't share their opinion," Davutoglu told lawmakers from his Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP).
"Just ask those in the region how PYD has been torturing people in Kobane. I'm calling on our brothers in the region to raise their voices," Davutoglu said.
"Where were you when the PYD was oppressing some of the Kurds?" he asked the international community.
Davutoglu give further details on the torture allegations. Before the IS advance, the PYD enjoyed control over much of Kurdish-populated northern Syria.
Ankara has previously been reluctant to develop links with the PYD because of its close links with the PKK, which has waged a 30-year insurgency for self-rule in southeastern Turkey.
It has reportedly asked the PYD to join forces with rebels battling the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad, whom Ankara wants to see removed from power.
In an interview with Agence France-Presse last week, PYD leader Saleh Muslim called on Turkey to allow its territory to be used for passing weapons to Kurdish fighters defending Kobane.
But Turkey is reluctant to arm Kurds and intervene militarily against the jihadists fearing that military action around Kobane could bolster Assad and strengthen Kurdish militants linked to the PKK.
"It's not about Kobane. It's about piling pressure on Turkey through Kobane," Davutoglu said.
"But Turkey has no appetite for adventures just because some people wanted unless the international community does its part to find an integrated solution (for Kobane)," Davutoglu said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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