Concerned about PKK attacks in Germany, Ankara sends diplomatic note to Berlin
THE Foreign Ministry has sent Germany a diplomatic note over the recent upsurge of attacks by supporters of the PKK and its Syrian-affiliated People’s Protection Units (YPG) targeting Turkish mosques and cultural associations.
“Today, our Foreign Ministry summoned Germany’s ambassador to Ankara. The necessary warning was conveyed to him and a note was sent,” the government spokesman, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, said after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara.
He added that Ankara would continue to closely monitor developments in Germany. Bozdağ also called on German authorities to take immediate action against attacks targeting the Turkish-German community.
“The German government and its security forces have primary responsibility for the safety of Turkish citizens and other Muslims living in Germany,” he said.
At least two mosques and a culture association have been firebombed since Friday, after the PKK and YPG supporters threatened to carry out more violence against Turkish institutions in Germany.
The PKK youth organization recently threatened to carry out violent attacks against Turkish institutions and associations in Germany to protest Turkey’s ongoing counterterrorism operation in Afrin in northwestern Syria.
Meanwhile, regarding the attack on the Koca Sinan Mosque, Andreas Germershausen, the commissioner for integration and migration for the Berlin Senate, said that Germany must be vigilant and stand against terrorist actions.
Germershausen further said that he abhors the attacks and is horrified by them.
“Who would put houses of worship on fire, they have only one purpose; spreading fear and discouraging and ter- rorizing some parts of the people,” he said, adding that the political background to the events is not important.
Germershausen also said that according to the German Interior Ministry, there have been more than 950 attacks on Muslims and mosques in 2017 and that they are not sure who is behind these latest attacks.
“Just like the racists, it is not important who is responsible for this incident. I am expecting the police and judiciary to stand firmly against this terrorism,” he said.
An investigation has also started in Ahlen, Germany into the arson at the Turkish Cultural Association. On Monday, unidentified people had somehow set light to the building. Police are now investigating whether there is a connection to attacks on other Turkish institutions.
Another mosque, this time in Cologne, was also attacked by the PKK supporters on Monday night. The Turkish- Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB)’s Kalk Eyüp Mosque’s windows and walls were vandalized with terrorist slogans. Speaking on the issue, the head of DİTİB, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Yaşar Aşıkoğlu, said that the necessary measures should be taken as soon as possible to guard against these attacks, which rose in number recently.
“We had talks with the authorities. They said that they are trying to be sensitive on the issue. However, since the New Year’s Eve, the number of these attacks have reached 25. This is a very sad situation,” Aşıkoğlu stated, while emphasizing that these attacks pose a threat not only to Turkish society but also to the German society as well.
A restaurant in Berlin named “My Turkey” was also attacked with stones on Monday night. The owner of the restaurant, Halil Kaya, said that customers were inside during the attack.