EU maintains sanctions on PKK in terrorist list update

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - The EU on Friday maintained its sanctions on the PKK terrorist organization as it extended measures for another six months against individuals and groups involved in terrorism.

The Council of the European Union, which represents member states in the bloc, announced in a statement that it had "renewed, with no changes the so-called terrorist list."

The sanctions list targets 13 people and 21 entities or groups, including PKK and the far-left DHKP-C, another terror group.

In order to combat terrorism, the bloc freezes the funds and financial assets that listed individuals and groups hold in the EU and bans operators in the bloc from making economic resources available to them.

The EU applies a separate sanction mechanism for Al-Qaida and ISIS/Daesh.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The DHKP-C has been responsible for numerous terror attacks in Türkiye, including the 2013 attack on the US Embassy in Ankara that killed a Turkish security guard.

The group is also listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU.