President of the European Parliament (EP) Roberta Metsola called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to respect international law after Turkish Armed Forces attacked Kurds in Syria and Iraq.
Metsola made an opening speech in the parliamentary chamber condemning the recent airstrikes launched by the Turkish state against North and East Syria, and mentioned the bomb attack in Istanbul.
“Turkish airstrikes we are seeing in northern Syria and Iraq after the bomb attack in Istanbul are claiming more lives and causing more bloodshed,” said Metsola.
“Call on the Turkish authorities to exercise restraint and respect international law and standards,” added Metsola.
The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament had requested that the EP President condemn the Turkish aggression in NE Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
“It is unacceptable to violate international law. Our deepest condolences to the Kurdish and Turkish population, victims of the latest escalation,” tweeted the socialist group.
MEP Demetris Papadakis shared a similar condemnation message stressing that the international community should not remain silent towards such violations of international law.
#Turkey bombs Kurdish militants and #Kobani which defeated ISIS in 2014.This is how international community expresses its gratitude to the liberators of Kobani from ISIS? It should not remain silent towards such violations of international law.Act Now!#DefendKobani @HDP_Europe
— Demetris Papadakis (@DemPapadakis) November 21, 2022
Nikolaj Villumsen MEP also said that Erdoğan violates international law by killing civilians and undermining the fight against terror.
Not only is #Erdogan violating international law, killing civilians and undermining the fight against terror. He is doing it together with #Putin.
Now is the time to act firmly for EU.
The attacks must be stopped immediately! #SaveKobane #TurkeyAttacksRojava #dkpol #eudk https://t.co/9G9i0XGxuh
— Nikolaj Villumsen (@nvillumsen) November 21, 2022
Blaming Kurdish forces for an explosion that killed six shoppers in central Istanbul on 13 November, Turkey launched its latest attack on Kurdish areas in northeast Syria and north Iraq on 20 November.
Kurdish forces have denied all accusations and declared no involvement with the attack on civilians in Istanbul.