MESOP LATEST : ERDOGAN TREATS 422 WOUNDED PYD FIGHTERS

Massoud Barzani says Turkey sent arms to KRG

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani has said Turkey sent arms to the Kurdish government in northern Iraq but requested that this not be made public.

He also said Turkey is treating more than 400 people from the Democratic Union Party (PYD) who were wounded during the Islamic State (IS) advance on the Kurdish town of Kobani in northern Syria, Hurriyet daily repoted. – Barzani told Sky News Arabic that Turkey was also among the countries that sent arms to the region when IS attacked Iraqi Kurdistan, adding that Turkey did not want this news to be announced.

 “We have to tell the truth. On our first night when we were attacked by IS, Iran sent us two airplanes full of weapons. This was a great help for that moment … We would have expected it from Turkey too, and Turkey sent [arms] later but asked us not to announce it due to domestic conjuncture. The presidential elections were near and IS was holding their hostages,” the KRG leader said. Meanwhile, Turkey is treating some 422 PYD members injured in IS’s attacks, in the Surucdistrict of the southeastern province of Sanliurfa. High level military officers of the PYD are reported to be among the 422 PYD members being treated in Turkey. Allegedly, the Suruc State Hospital, where the PYD members are being treated, is not serving civilians except in emergency cases, amid a massive patient increase over the past week. Some 40 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants who were wounded in fights against IS have also been brought to Turkey for medical treatment.