A New Turkish-American Scandal is Brewing

A new Turkish-American scandal is brewing. According to RIA Novosti, the U.S. Secretary of State and Turkey's Foreign Minister have had a phone conversation against the backdrop of recent tensions. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu expressed concern over the killing of Turks by members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Ankara to abandon the Russian S-400 missile defense system.

During an operation in northern Iraq, Turkish soldiers discovered the bodies of 13 of their citizens. Turkey has blamed the PKK for this incident. The U.S. State Department stated that it condemns the killings vehemently, provided that 'the involvement of the PKK is confirmed.'

President Erdoğan criticized the U.S. stance, pointing out that the U.S. considers the PKK a terrorist organization, yet continues to cooperate with Kurdish groups in Syria, which Ankara sees as interconnected. 'If we are to maintain our alliance with the U.S. and NATO, then you cannot stand alongside terrorists. You bear responsibility for the brutal execution of 13 defenseless innocent people,' Erdoğan declared.

Incidentally, the Kurds have released a video suggesting that Turkish soldiers themselves killed their own compatriots.