Why the Terrorist Organisation PKK/YPG's Bases in Syria are Legitimate Targets for Turkey?

We often use the word "legitimate" out of place, but we do not pay much attention to the differences in meaning. Now we have to ask, don't we? Are all our uses appropriate in terms of meaning? I think not. Anyway, we do not pay much attention. So much so that, let alone the semantics or the unity of meaning, the literal meaning of this word is always discussed, can be discussed, and should be discussed. In short, the meaning of the word "legitimate" is "that which the law, religion and public conscience deem right". The word "legitimate", which entered our language from Arabic, means "legal". In other words, the word "legitimate" has almost the same meaning as the word "legal". Then what does "legitimacy" mean? As a lexical meaning, it can be considered as "conformity with the law" and "validity" in the sense of the most basic binding rules. In today's usage, it is also understood as conformity with natural law or public conscience. If a practice may be legal in accordance with laws and regulations, but its legitimacy is questionable; if it is not accepted by the public conscience, it is not legitimate no matter what you do.

Yes, dear readers, you will recall that on 1 October 2023, when the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) was due to open, at 09.30 hours in broad daylight, there was an unsuccessful attempt by the People's Defence Forces (Hêzên Parastina Gel; HPG), the military wing of the Kurdistan Communities Union (Koma Civakên Kurdistanê; KCK), to attack the General Directorate of Security just opposite the GNAT, and one of the two attackers killed himself and the other was neutralised by our security forces. The most important distinguishing feature of the Ankara Attack is the decision of the MYK meeting of the MYK of the YEŞİLSOL Party to wage an "all-out struggle" to break the absolute isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The meeting also decided to wage an all-out struggle against isolation on the anniversary of the 25th anniversary of the international conspiracy that began with the extradition of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan from Syria on 9 October 1999. The FMC agreed that the isolation of PKK Leader Öcalan, who has not been heard from for 31 months, has led to the deepening of the insolvency, war concept and multiple crises in the Kurdish problem. (1) The second important distinguishing feature of this attack is that it was an ordered action reflected in the field.  

The KCK, which is an umbrella organisation within the framework of democratic confederalism theorised by Abdullah Öcalan, is the putting into action of the phenomenon of Kurdistan in four parts.  Let us put it briefly as follows. The PeKaKa/KCK terrorist organisation aims to unite the so-called autonomous regions in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria under the name of KCK and to establish an independent state. In the meantime, taking advantage of the conditions in Syria, it initially deployed some of its cadres in Syria in order to implement the KCK project. This is known by almost everyone. In fact, the organisers of the attack were infiltrated into our country from Syria. The Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Syrian branch of the PeKaKa /KCK terrorist organisation, which has been operating within our borders for many years, is now trying to present itself as a legitimate actor in the international arena in one third of the 185,000 km2 of Syrian territory, which it has occupied with the support and assistance of the EU(D) and which contains seventy percent of the water and oil resources, and on the other hand, it is trying to turn the civil unrest in Syria into an opportunity with the political and logistical support provided by the EU(D). The PYD organisation has tried to distinguish itself from PeKaKa on the international arena and has become recognised as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Through its armed elements called the People's Protection Units (YPG), the PYD presents itself as an organisation fighting against ISIS in international public opinion. In reality, it is known behind closed doors that the PYD/YPG is the Syrian wing of the PEKAKA/KCK terrorist organisation, that its aims, structure and functioning overlap, that it acts within the same structure and that it is not a different and independent entity from PEKAKA/KCK. Contrary to what is being portrayed, the PYD is the Syrian extension of PEKAKA/KCK, which is registered as a "terrorist organisation" in international lists of terrorist organisations. (2) It is extremely wrong to portray it otherwise. 

Hakan Fidan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, who is in charge of explaining the Ankara-based policies of the Republic of Turkey on legitimate grounds, summarised Turkey's initiatives in succinct statements at a joint press conference in Ankara with Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Minister Fidan expressed his reaction to the terrorist attack in Ankara with the following words: (3)

"It is a well-known fact that Turkey's attitude is clear in the fight against terrorism. As a result of the studies carried out, it has become clear that the two terrorists came from Syria and received training here. All infrastructure, superstructure and energy facilities belonging to PeKaKa/YPG in Iraq and Syria are now the legitimate targets of our security forces and intelligence elements. I recommend that third parties stay away from PeKaKa/YPG facilities and individuals. The response of our armed forces to this terrorist attack will be very clear and they will regret very much for carrying out such an act."

This is such an important statement that it is almost an implicit order for an operation. The mission is clear, the enemy is clear. In order to differentiate the forces and targets, the PÖH (Police Special Operation) and JÖH (Gendarmerie Special Operation) security forces of the Ministry of Interior, the Turkish Armed Forces and the forces of the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) that will carry out point operations allocated to the operation are mentioned separately. The second important issue is that in the operation to be carried out in Syria, the energy facilities operated by PeKaKa were also announced to the world public opinion. 

Foreign Minister Fidan's statements were full of expressions that would be included in the National Military Strategic Concept (MASK) of the Republic of Turkey and in Turkey's Red Book: (3)

"After this latest incident, it has become clear that the two terrorists came from Syria and received training there. All infrastructure, superstructure and energy facilities belonging to the PKK/YPG in Iraq and Syria are the legitimate targets of our security forces."

Yes, dear readers, since the PeKaKa/KCK claimed responsibility for the Ankara attack, both Syrian and Iraqi PeKaKa are "Total Legitimate Targets". The operation was therefore based on Article 51 of the UN convention on the right to self-defence. It is useful to recall this important article as it appears in the treaty: 

"Article 51 - Nothing in this Charter shall prejudice the inherent right of a member of the United Nations, if it is the object of an armed attack, to individual or collective self-defence until the Security Council has taken measures necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security."

For this reason, the US apologised for the Turkish UCAV, which it intervened and shot down by means of an F-16 from its base in Jordan, like a primary school student who was punished for lifting one foot behind the door in class. On Thursday night, 5 October 2023, the US Department of Defence announced that a Turkish UCAV had been shot down by a US F-16 near Hasakah in northwestern Syria. (4) In fact, before this announcement, Turkey had publicly stated that "an Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was lost in northern Syria due to different technical assessments in the de-escalation mechanism operated with third parties". The rationale for the telephone conversations between the US and Turkish Minister of National Defence regarding the downing of the UCAV has also become apparent. 

Pat Ryder, the spokesperson for the US Department of Defence, described the downing of the UCAV as "a regrettable incident" SIX TIMES in a one-paragraph statement and said that the UCAV was conducting an air operation in the region and was considered a "threat" within 500 metres of US forces. The attitude is almost the jargon of a "cat that has spilt milk". Embarrassed, uneasy and regretful... As is well known, the attitude of a "cat that has spilled milk" is an idiom used to describe the situation of a person who commits a misdemeanour and is ashamed, afraid and hesitant because of this misdemeanour. The most meaningful response to this came from Selçuk Bayraktar, the Von Braun of Turkish UCAVs:

"The Bird Dies, Remember the Flight"

The meaning of this aphorism is very clear. Sometimes a bird dies so that its flight is remembered. It's a deterrent. It dies so that the flight will always be remembered. The important thing is not the road, but the journey, the important thing is to be on the road, dear readers. 

Footnotes

(1) Mezopotamya Agency, "Green Left Party decides for all-out struggle against isolation", 26 September 2023; http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/tum-haberler/content/view/219618/ Access Date 08.10.2023/

(2) Ministry of Interior, "PKK/KCK Terrorist Organisation's Syrian Branch: PYD-YPG", Ankara, May 2017, p. 6

(3)https://www.trthaber.com/haber/gundem/bakan-fidan-pkkypgnin-kontrolundeki-tum-tesisler-artik-mesru-hedef-800584.html/Erişim Date 08.10.2023/

(4) BBC News Turkish, "US says it shot down Turkish UCAV in northern Syria; Turkish Foreign Ministry says one UCAV 'lost'", 6 October 2023; https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/c98dw12331vo/ Accessed 08.10.2023/