29 Mar 2024
Wednesday 31 May 2017 - 10:26
Story Code : 263152

Iran blames Turkey for PKK-affiliate clash on border

Al Monitor | Amberin Zaman: The mind-bending array of alliances and counter-alliances that have long defined armed Kurdish groups seemed to get anothertwistwhen a long dormant Iranian Kurdish militia recently attacked Iranian border guards near the city of Urmiya, killing two and wounding seven others.


What was extraordinary about the incident was not so much that the group known as the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) has resumed its activities, but that Iran held Turkey responsible.In comments carried by the Fars News Agency on May 28,Iranian border guards commander Qassem Rezayee said the Iranians considerTurkey responsible, and the country should account for this act. Rezayee vowed,Iranian forces will certainly give a crushing response to these moves.

In remarks on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Behram Qasimi noted that the attacktookplace close to the Turkish border. We have made a demarche with Turkey with regard to the attack and await an answer, Qasimi said. The spokesman rejected claims that Iran was offering sanctuary to the Kurdistan WorkersParty (PKK).

The PKK, for its part, declared in a statement that three of its "guerrilla comrades" had died in May 23clashes with Iranian forces in the village of Hasani in Urmiye province.It did not elaborate.

Turkey and Iran are historic rivals butthey have in common large and restive Kurdish populationsand fears that they will break away and form their own respective Kurdish states. The notion that Turkey would support the PJAK is baffling because the group is a direct offshoot of the PKK.

 

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