ANKARA, 16 February, 2021 (TON): The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at the U.S. for supporting the Kurdish militants on Monday.

President’s remarks came days after the Turkish troops found the bodies of 13 Turkish soldiers, police, and civilians abducted by Kurdish insurgents in northern Iraq.  

In the Gara region, near the Turkish border, the victims were discovered during an operation against the PKK that had aimed to free the hostages. Twelve of the victims were shot in the head and one died of a shoulder bullet wound. The 13 were kidnapped inside Turkey in 2015 and 2016.

Erdogan also took aim at a U.S. State Department statement that deplored the hostages’ deaths but added that the U.S. would condemn the deaths “in the strongest possible terms” if it is confirmed that they died at the hands of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK.

“You are with them and behind, them pure and simple,” Erdogan said, referring to Kurdish militant groups as well as Syrian Kurdish groups linked to the PKK, which Turkey considers to be terrorists but which were allied with the United States in the fight against the Islamic State.

“If we are together in NATO, and if we are to continue our (alliance) in NATO, you have to be sincere toward us,” Erdogan said.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also expressed Turkey’s unease over recent U.S. statements during a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, his ministry said.

Since the new U.S. President took the office, the conversation between the two involved the discussions on the NATO alliance.

“We have the power, capability, and determination to come down hard on the terrorists everywhere,” Erdogan said.

Since the insurgency began in Turkey, many thousands of people have been killed by the PKK and involved the Turkish troops that died during the operation to free the hostages.