The ensuing attacks of the Turkish military against Kurdish-held territories in Syria in the wake of the 6 February disaster proves that the Turkish government is trying to use the earthquake for political gains, said an official of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) on Saturday.
“The Turkish state is trying to use the earthquake according to its political interests. The target of its attacks is to push people to migrate and as a result to change the demographic structure of the region,” said Ehmed Xoce, an executive board member of the PYD, the leading Kurdish party in Syria.
Turkey’s mainly Kurdish-populated 11 provinces as well as northern Syria were hit by twin earthquakes on 6 February. The disaster caused massive destruction in both countries, while the combined death toll has passed 45,000 according to latest updates.
Despite the great devastation caused by the disaster and the escalating humanitarian crisis in both countries, the Turkish military continued targeting the Kurdish-held territories in northern Syria, killing two civilians over the last week.
Guarantor countries have advised to halt military operations, but remain silent against the ongoing attacks, Xoce said.
The Turkish government was planning a new ground invasion in Syria to remove the Kurdish fighters from regions close to its borders. The government have been particularly targeting the northeastern town of Kobane, the centre of Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northern Syria.
“Their project was to attack Kobane. Kobane is a symbol of resistance, it has played a critical role in history for Kurds,” Xoce said.
