In a recent interview with Medya Haber TV on Tuesday, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Executive Committee member Duran Kalkan highlighted the intense clashes in the Zap region in Iraqi Kurdistan and warned of the possible consequences of the alleged Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Turkish cooperation.
Kalkan’s statements came amid growing tensions in the region, with both Kurdish-Arab relations and the stability in the region are under threat. “The Turkish army has been attempting to establish control over areas they attacked last year for occupation but has been unsuccessful,” he stated.
Kalkan emphasised that Kurdish freedom is being won through guerrilla resistance. “This is because the Kurdish presence continues here. The future of the Kurds is being shaped through this resistance,” he added.
He also criticised the Turkish government for not being held accountable for their losses. “Even if it were just one or three soldiers, not just 134, there should have been an uproar in Turkey,” he said.
Kalkan warned against Iraq’s role in the conflict, stating, “Baghdad is being forced to massacre Kurds in exchange for Kurdish oil and water, but they did not get what they wanted.” In contrast, he cautioned the KDP leaders in Erbil, saying they are more compliant with Turkey’s demands. “If the KDP takes even one more step, this will escalate into a full-blown war. They should not play with fire,” he warned.
The PKK executive also spoke about Turkey’s broader agenda. “The Turkish government is infiltrating through internal intelligence, agents, and gang organisations everywhere, with the aim of disrupting Arab-Kurdish solidarity,” he explained.
Referring to the recent escalation in Deir ez-Zor (Derezor) in Syria, “They are doing everything possible to sabotage these relations. They are scared of the good relations developing between Kurds and Arabs,” he highlighted.
