Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.27
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
European countries are interested in the legalization of the activities of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Kanal7 TV channel quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying on Nov.27.
The president said European countries actively support the anti-terrorist operations against the 'Islamic State' militants, but for some reason they turn blind eye to the activities of the PKK militants.
Erdogan added that he sees no difference between the militants of the 'Islamic State' and PKK.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, continued for over 25 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives.
The UN and the European Union listed the PKK as a terrorist organization.
The process of democratic settlement to the Kurdish problem in Turkey kicked off in 2009, following which a part of the PKK militants left the country's territory and moved to the neighboring Iraq.
The 'Islamic State' (IS, formerly ISIL or ISIS,) was created in 2003 in Iraq. Between 2004 and 2006, the organization was led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and consisted of 11 radical Islamist groups, which had close ties to the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.
Following the start of military confrontation in Syria between the armed opposition and the government forces, the IS penetrated the country in 2013.
The organization said at the time it refuses to take the oath of Al-Qaeda and declared 'a holy war' against all groups in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Syrian government forces.
Strengthening of the IS in Syria allowed it to return to Iraq, deploying military actions against government forces there.
In late June of 2014, the IS announced about the creation of the 'Islamic Caliphate' on the territories under its control in Iraq and Syria. In turn, Iraqi authorities asked the international community for help in fighting the IS.
Edited by SI