Turkish Defense Ministry Accuses PKK Of Attacking Border Post After Earthquake

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2023) The Turkish Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK, banned in Turkey) of attacking a post on the border with Syria after a devastating earthquake.

On Monday, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Turkey and Syria, with another 7.6 magnitude earthquake occurring several hours later. The death toll from the disaster currently stands at 3,381 people in Turkey and 711 in Syria, with thousands of others injured. The numbers are expected to keep rising.

"The terrorist organization PKK/YPG, devoid of a sense of humanity, took advantage of the earthquake and launched a vile attack from a multi-barreled rocket launcher from Tell Rifaat to the area of responsibility of our border post Oncupinar.

Although our troops were not injured or suffered losses, a retaliatory strike was carried out against terrorist targets," the ministry said on Twitter.

The armed conflict with the PKK began in Turkey in 1984 and resumed in 2015. The organization also deployed some of its bases in northern Iraq, and the Turkish armed forces conducted air and ground operations to destroy them.