Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will not prevail in the latest Turkish attack in Iraqi Kurdistan, Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) top official Duran Kalkan told Fırat News Agency (ANF).

According to Kalkan, Turkey has three objectives: To crush the fighters of the PKK, disarray the current status quo of the Kurds by diminishing their achievements in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) and northeast Syria (Rojava), and establish a rule resembling that of the Ottoman Empire in the region.

Replying to ANF’s question why Turkey chose to launch a fresh military operation on the 17th of April, Kalkan said:

“NATO and the United States have made some concessions to Turkey to oppose Russia. Turkey wants to exploit this situation in its new occupation attempt and genocidal attack against the kurds and the PKK.”

He continued:

“Although the Iraqi foreign ministry says they do not conform, and rejects Tayyip Erdoğan’s claims that they do [AKP leader and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan], Erdoğan still carries out these attacks in a context of relations and alliances. The KDP [Kurdistan Democratic Party] aims to make Barzanis the dominant force in the region, and they carry on with smuggling and illegal trade with Turkey, with Erdogan’s family, and with other AKP circles. These are their motivations in cooperating with the Turkish army.”

On the possible consequences of the latest Turkish attack, Kalkan said:

“This is a genocidal attack against the Kurdish people. If the PKK is defeated, it will then be the turn of all the Kurds, and all achievements will be destroyed (…) It will then consequently be the Arabs’ turn, because the current Turkish administration wants to return to the days of Ottoman rule once again by imposing its influence on the Arabs in the region.”

He added:

“If the guerrilla has the victory here, the Kurdish existence and freedom will be finalised. Turkey and the Middle East will move towards democracy based on Kurdish liberation, and a new era will emerge. What could be more beautiful? That’s why everyone has a role to play in this war. It means success and victory for everyone.”