ATAA Condemns PKK Terrorist Attack
that Killed 13 Soldiers
The ATAA condemns today's attack by the social nationalist Kurdish organization, PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party) near Diyarbakir. The PKK is a terrorist organization according to the laws of the United States, Turkey and western European countries. In 2010, the United States Supreme Court held that any type of support to the PKK constitutes a violation of United States anti-terror laws. The US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit held that the PKK was a racist organization that persecutes people who are not Kurdish as well as Kurds who do not support the PKK's violent agenda. The US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit held that Turkey's military and police actions against the PKK are not ethnic-based and constitute legitimate anti-terror operations.
The PKK has caused the deaths of over 30,500 people, including Americans, since 1984. The PKK has caused hundreds of millions of property damage to Turkey and its allies. The PKK claims to represent Kurds, but includes a sliver of 5000 or more radicals and militants. Mainstream Turkish citizens of Kurdish heritage, who contribute to Turkey's rich diversity of over 30 ethnic groups and 75 million people, do not support the PKK and do not support violence. There has never been apartheid, segregation, or statute based discrimination against Turkish citizens of Kurdish heritage. The vast majority of Turkish Kurds have integrated with the diverse ethnicity of Turkey and significantly contribute to Turkey's economic, political, and cultural strength.
The ATAA welcomes the US court decisions as well as the application of the rule of law to bring all terrorists to justice. The ATAA supports greater cooperation between the United States and Turkey to combat international terrorism, particularly the PKK.
The ATAA expresses it highest respect to these 13 soldiers, who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom in Turkey and global peace. The ATAA expresses sympathies to the families of these soldiers and the people of Turkey, and wishes them strength and patience.
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