WhyTurkey Is Fighting the Kurds Who Are Fighting ISIS

[Anthea]

The New York Times

Why Turkey Is Fighting the Kurds Who Are Fighting ISIS
By SARAH ALMUKHTAR and TIM WALLACE

On the same day that Turkey announced it would help fight the Islamic State, Turkish forces began an airstrike campaign against one of the very groups that has been crucial to stopping the advance of the Islamic State.

Since the July 24 announcement, Turkey has launched several waves of airstrikes against elements of a Kurdish separatist group known as the P.K.K., which is widely listed as a terrorist group. But that group and its allies in Syria, who have been closely working with American forces, are pushing Islamic State militants out of areas they once controlled.So while the United States had long sought Turkey’s help in fighting ISIS, the events since the agreement reveal the tangle of diverging interests in the region.

Link to Full Article - Photos - Maps - Video:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015 ... .html?_r=0

[Londoner]

In a way Kurds made a strategic mistake by not taming Turkish Government after general election. Kurds rather aggravated it. This gave excuse to Turkish government to turn against Kurds as an indirect help to ISIS.
If Kurds had not aggravated Turkish Government, it, Turkish Government, would still have attacked Kurds but it would have proved its link and support to ISIS.

So what is left for the Kurds to do? Apart from defending liberated areas, Kurds shouldn't attack ISIS any more unless they get guarantee of protection from America and West against Turkish aggression against Kurds.

[Anthea]

The entire situation has become rather a mess:

The peace agreement that purportedly came through negations between Ocalan and the Turkish government - was in fact a list of the requirements Turkey had to fulfil in order to further it's application to the EU

The so-called peace agreement was used as a means by which Turkey could further suppress the Kurds - and give the government the opportunity to increase their military personal and installations within the Turkish homeland - safe in the knowledge that Kurds would not retaliate

The so-called peace agreement also allowed for further development of the dam projects on Kurdish land to take place - destroying many sites of historical value along with homes farms villages also irreplaceable wildlife flora and fauna

Kurds have been had again - they have been manipulated and made use of

Worst of all Selahattin Demirtaş has shown his connection to the PKK on numerous occasions

Kartal moved to Europe in 1995 after the DEP was outlawed in 1994 for collaborating with the PKK. A decision for his arrest was released after his parliamentary immunity was lifted. He has been living in Europe since then.

Demirtaş has given Erdogan the proof he needs to have him thrown out of parliament and arrested - and with the increased violence in Turkey Demirtaş actions make no sense at all

If - as Turkey wants - the PKK disarm - who will be supporting their many offshoots and training in the fight against ISIS