Turkey summons German charge d'affaires

By Zuhal Demirci

ANKARA (AA) - The Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned the German charge d'affaires Robert Dolger in capital Ankara following reports that a former co-leader of PYD/PKK terror group was planning to address an event in Germany, according to a diplomatic source.

Dolger was told about Turkey’s discomfort over the event planned by the terrorist organization on May 19 in Germany’s Ludwigshafen province where Salih Muslum is expected to speak, the source, who spoke anonymously due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

The German diplomat was warned about the terrorist organization’s activities and the attendance of Muslum at the event.

Turkey has demanded from Germany and other European countries to extradite Muslum.

In recent years, through its branches in Europe, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. and the EU -- has organized events promoting itself at the European Parliament despite Ankara’s objections.

Turkey has long complained that despite the PKK’s banned status, European countries allow it to operate with impunity on their soil.

In 2016, Turkey condemned the placing of photographs of convicted PKK terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan at an event in the European Parliament.

Ankara has also repeatedly criticized European countries for not doing enough against the terror group. Turkey has also blasted PKK drug trafficking in Europe and urged action against it.

On Feb. 25, Muslum was arrested in Prague following Turkey's request to the Czech Republic.

Two days later, he was released by a Czech court on the condition that he would not leave the European Union and appear at future hearings in the extradition case.

The PYD/PKK is the Syrian branch of the terrorist group PKK, which is responsible for over 40,000 deaths, in a violent campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years.

Muslum, an influential figure of the PYD/PKK terrorist group, is being sought by a Turkish court on suspicion of his involvement in the planning of a terrorist attack carried out in Ankara in 2016.