PKK halts military operations against Turkey in the quake aftermath

Shafaq News/ Anti-Ankara Kurdish militants are temporarily suspending "operations" in Turkey in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that struck the country and Syria, a Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader announced.

Monday's 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which claimed the lives of more than 18,000 in Turkey, struck a region that has witnessed some of the heaviest fightings between Turkish government forces and the PKK.

The group's co-leader, Cemil Bayik, told the PKK-linked ANF news agency that "thousands of our people are under the rubble" and urged a focus on recovery rather than waging war.

"We call on all our forces engaged in military actions: stop the military actions in Turkey, in metropolises and cities," Bayik said in comments published on the site late Thursday.

"We have decided not to conduct any operation as long as the Turkish state does not attack," he added.

Bayik continued, "The quake caused a massive disaster. Thousands of our people are under the rubble. Everyone must mobilize using all their means."

The PKK leader noted that the pause in fighting would stay in place "until the pain of our people is relieved and their wounds are healed."

"Of course, the attitude of the Turkish state will also be decisive in our decision," he added.

Turkish officials did not respond to Bayik's comments.

On Tuesday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense accused the PKK of targeting a Turkish military site near the Syrian border.

"The terrorist organization PKK/YPG, devoid of a sense of humanity, took advantage of the earthquake and launched a vile attack from a multi-barreled rocket launcher from Tell Rifaat to the area of responsibility of our border post Oncupinar," the Ministry tweeted.

On November 20, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced that Turkey launched the "Operation Claw-Sword" offensive against anti-Ankara Kurdish militants in northern Iraq and Syria.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said the offensive was carried out in line with the right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country is committed to destroying the PKK "until its last militant is neutralized" and raised the possibility of conducting a ground operation soon, blaming the PKK for the November attack that killed six people in Istanbul.