PKK STOPS FURTHER WITHDRAWING FROM TURKEY

MESOP 10.9.2013 – Turkey’s Kurdish rebels have halted withdrawing their fighters from Turkey’s Kurdish territory, as agreed under a peace plan, accusing Ankara of not abiding by the deal’s terms, a pro-Kurdish news agency reported on Monday.

In a statement  the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) armed movement said “the Turkish government’s attitude of not progressing on the Kurdish question was behind this situation,” but vowed to respect the ceasefire with Turkish forces.

Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Presidency, the political wing of PKK)  has said in a written statement on Monday, September 9, that the withdrawal of Kurdish guerrillas from northern Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey) to southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) has been halted because of the Turkish government’s failure to take steps for democratization and a solution of the Kurdish question.

“Our movement believes in the democratization project presented by leader Apo (Ocalan) on the Newroz Day ( Kurdish New Year). This is the only way to establish brotherhood among peoples living in Turkey, to resolve the Kurdish issue and to create a democratic Union of the Middle East. The suspension of the withdrawal is aimed at pushing the government to take the project seriously and to do what is needed”, KCK said.