German intelligence calls PKK, PYD 'sister' groups

A new report of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has described the terrorist PKK group and its Syrian affiliates -- PYD and YPG -- as “sister organisations”.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution (LfV) in northern state of Schleswig-Holstein gave new details about the activities of PYD/PKK/YPG in Germany, in its annual report which was published on the government’s website.

The PKK and its affiliates are still active across the country with nearly 14,500 followers among the Kurdish immigrant community, and are using the German soil for propaganda, fund-raising and logistics support, the report said.

Despite PYD’s widespread propaganda in the Western media, portraying itself as an independent Syrian Kurdish group, the German domestic intelligence agency highlighted that the group was closely attached with the PKK in northern Germany.

Earlier this year, Germany’s federal domestic intelligence agency (BfV) warned about growing PKK activity and violence in the country, and also described the PYD as PKK's “sister organization”.

The terrorist PKK group has been banned in Germany since 1993, but the German government has not yet taken any legal action to outlaw the PYD.

Turkey has long criticized German authorities for not taking serious measures against the terrorist group and tolerating their propaganda activities.

The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years, and has been responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 people.