Erdogan Declared War against Kurds on All Fronts

• 07.29.2015, 17:32
•  Near East,  World,  Analytics

The recent developments in Turkey makes it clear that the country has adopted a new regional strategy.The fact that after the agreement with the US Turkey became the acting member of the international coalition against Islamic State is no more being argued by anyone. However, it is not clear why Turkey has changed its policy towards Kurds on all fronts.

Since 2013 Turkish authorities have been stating that they are determined to complete the peace process with the PKK. But now they are actively bombing their positions in Turkey and in northern Iraq, stating that they are going to fight against all terrorist elements. "Ankara could not continue the Kurdish peace process amid continuing attacks against Turkish targets. It is not possible to carry on the peace process with those who target our national unity and brotherhood," the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Turkish authorities also blame Peoples’ Democratic Party in helping the PKK. It should be mentioned that this party for the first time received 13% of the voted in the parliamentary elections. Media even reports that Erdogan can close Peoples’ Democratic Party.

On the other hand, Turkey continues its efforts for creating a "safe zone" in Turkey-Syria border, saying that it has reached an agreement with the US on the issue. However, the American side has not confirmed these reports yet. Despite the fact that Turkey says the aim of creating a buffer zone in northern Syria is to clean the region from the IS militants, it is obvious that Turkey's actions are mainly directed against the Kurdish forces of Syria, which control several regions in this area. These forces have already confirmed that the Turkish side is bombing their positions.

As a result of these actions Turkey's relations with Iraqi Kurdistan have become strained. Turkey has been cooperating with this autonomous region particularly in the energy field. Iraqi Kurdistan leader Masoud Barzani called the sides to return to the negotiating table, saying that the peace process cannot be stopped.

Everything happens with the knowledge of international forces. US, Germany, NATO and other forces announced that Turkey has right to defend itself, at the same time urging the parties to continue the peace process. This became the reason to say, that Western powers have betrayed the Kurds despite the role they have played in struggle against the Islamic State.

Finally, what is the goal of the Turkish authorities?

Some analysts say this campaign against the Kurds has domestic political reasons. As a result of the parliamentary elections Justice and Development Party lost its parliamentary majority, at a time when the Kurdish Democratic People's Party for the first time overcomed the 10 percent threshold. And because the AKP does not want to make concessions for the formation of a coalition government, it prefers to hold new elections. Turkey is trying to exploit the situation and activate anti-Kurdish sentiments. Thus, the AKP hopes the Kurdish Democratic People's Party will not be able to get enough votes and the Justice and Development Party can complete its plans to adopt a new Constitution.

At the same time, Turkish authorities try to regain their strategic superiority and make it clear to the Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq that is not going to accept their plans to establish a Kurdish state in the region. Considering the fact that Kurds have their autonomy in Iraq, control several regions in Syria and add to that the fact that there are more than 15 million Kurds in Turkey who also have plans for the creation of their own state, it becomes obvious that this scenario is quite real.