PKK/PYD supporters in Europe target Turks, mosques

Supporters of PKK/PYD terrorist organization have organized attacks, mainly on the Turkish society and places of worship, in Europe amid Turkey's ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s Afrin region.

The operation, launched on January 20, aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region as well as to eliminate PYD/YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists from the Afrin region of northwest Syria and to protect Syrian people from the terrorists’ oppression and cruelty.

Sympathizers of PKK/PYD terrorists have vandalized Turkish society, associations, foundations, diplomatic missions and mosques in various European cities since the beginning of Afrin operation.

The Union of the European Turkish Democrats (UETD) has prepared a report on PKK/PYD terror group supporters who since the beginning of the Operation Olive Branch have organized attacks against Turks living in Europe.

According to the report, the structures forming up the European branch of the terrorist organization, under the guise of protests against Turkey's Operation Olive Branch, spread terrorist propaganda and also carry out acts of violence.

Europe, which allows protests of the PYD/YPG/PKK supporters under the guise of “freedom of demonstration”, has turned a blind eye to attacks on Turkish institutions and organizations, the report said. The sympathizers of terrorists at the protests in different cities across Europe have also openly displayed the photograph of Abdullah Ocalan, the terrorist leader of the PKK -- the parent group of the terrorist -- along with PKK rags, proving the direct ideological link between PYD/YPG/PKK.

The report also said supporters of the terror group have conducted 43 assaults against Turkish citizens, mosques, and NGOs in Europe since the beginning of the Operation Olive Branch.

PKK terror group supporters launched an assault on Jan. 20 against Sultan Alparslan Mosque of the German Turkish Federation in Germany's Kassel city, shortly after Afrin operation began.

In Germany's Leipzig, the terrorist supporters attacked and vandalized the building of a mosque of the Turkish Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) with paint and stone on Jan. 22.

A group of PYD/PKK sympathizers had conducted a night attack on the DITIB-run Barbaros Merkez Mosque in the northwestern town of Minden in Germany, causing material damage. There were 14 Turkish citizens living in the building at the time.

In the Dutch city of Rotterdam, windows of the Turkish Geylani Mosque, which is run by the Geylani Foundation, were broken and the walls were vandalized by PYD/PKK supporters on Jan. 22. Ali Dede Tas, head of the Geylani Foundation, said the incident had made everyone sad and he hoped such an attack would not be repeated in future.

Dr. Sadik Ahmet Mosque in Germany's western city of Offenbach, which is run by the Turkish Federation, was also targeted by supporters of the PYD/PKK terror group.

The Consulate General of Turkey, located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, was attacked on Jan. 22. Following the attack, the Salzburg police announced that a number of attackers broke the Consulate's garden gate, destroyed surveillance cameras outside the building, as well as windows at the entrance; 3 suspects were later taken into police custody.

Supporters of the PYD/PKK terror organization also emerged on Jan. 25 in Ireland's capital Dublin. A group of around 40 individuals carrying the terrorist group's rags gathered around the Turkish Embassy building in Dublin and tried to forcibly enter its garden but were later prevented by security guards.

On Jan. 29, unknown men attempted an arson attack on a vehicle belonging to the Turkish Consulate General in Zurich. The attack is said to have been carried out by PYD/PKK supporters who are very active in Switzerland.

Also on Jan. 22, PKK supporters attacked Turkish citizens at the Turkish Airlines counter inside Frankfurt Airport after a verbal confrontation.

On the same day, sympathizers of the PYD/PKK terror organization attempted to hold an unauthorized demonstration at Germany’s Hannover-Langenhagen airport and attacked Turkish passengers with sticks and banners held in their hands.

The Eyup Sultan Mosque in Germany's western city of Frankfurt was targeted overnight on Jan. 24 by PYD/PKK terror group supporters, who spray-painted threats against the Turkish Muslim community on the main gate. The mosque is also run by DITIB, a Muslim organization founded by Turkish migrants in the country.

The next day, the Stade-Butzfleth Ulu Mosque, linked to DITIB, located at Germany's Hannover city was vandalized by PYD/PKK supporters. The mosque and a youth center that belongs to the mosque were attacked with slogans and threatening messages painted on the walls while all the windows were broken.

On Jan. 28, a mosque in the French city of Bordeaux belonging to the Islamic Community-National Vision (IGMG) was targeted by supporters of the PYD/PKK terrorist group, who vandalized it and spray painted threats against the Turkish Muslim community on its walls. The property was also damaged.

The terrorist group supporters again struck on Jan. 31 during morning prayers targeted a mosque in Germany’s Rhine-Westphalia (KRV) northern province city of Aachen. The assailants tried to remove the nameplate of the Aachen Mosque, smashed several windows of the building and placed stickers that included anti-Turkey slogans.

The same day, in the city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, the Eyup Sultan Mosque was attacked in the early hours of the morning. As a result, doors of the mosque were broken and “Stop sending of German weapons. Afrin is not alone" message was written on its windows.

The PYD/PKK supporters on Jan. 28 vandalized a building of the UETD in Stockholm.

The incident at a UETD building took place ahead of an event that was to be held in support of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Afrin; initial police report revealed the attackers wrote "Afrin", "Apo", "PYD", ''YPG" and "PKK" on the walls of the building.

PKK terror group sympathizers attacked a Turkish taxi driver during a demonstration on Jan. 26 and tried to lynch him. They attacked the driver's vehicle with flagpoles and attempted to enter the cabin. The driver was able to save his life only after police intervened.

Sympathizers of the PYD/PKK terror organization on Jan. 27 targeted the building of the Azerbaijan-Turkish Culture Association at The Hague city in the Netherlands. Four masked men tore down the windows using stones. On the same day, the PYD/PKK terror group supporters assaulted two Turkish taxi drivers in Amsterdam and attacked a Turkish journalist.

On Feb. 2, the car of a Turkish citizen was violently attacked with sticks by PYD/PKK terrorist supporters in Germany. The vehicle suffered substantial damage when the driver and his children were inside; the incident took place in the Lebenstedt district of Salzgitter province.

Three days later, the PYD/PKK terrorist organization supporters, who marched in London to support the PKK/PYD activities, attacked and tried to lynch a Turkish couple holding a Turkish flag in their hands.

PKK supporters on Feb. 19 also carried out an arson attack on a parked vehicle of the Turkish-German Muslim association in Germany’s Berlin city.

Firefighters came to the scene after a citizen passing through the area at around 2.50 p.m. local time informed the police. While the car was completely burnt, another car nearby was also damaged by the flames.

On Feb. 17, supporters of PYD/PKK terrorist organization in a southern French port city of Marseille left the area allowed for demonstrations and moved to the place populated by the Turkish community. Four victims have been injured and wounded by up to 200 supporters of the terrorist organization.

Sympathizers of PYD/PKK terrorist organization also vandalized the Selimiye Mosque on Feb. 15 in Mainz city, Germany. The mosque was destroyed and its’ walls were covered with pro-PKK slogans.

On Jan. 20, PKK supporters took action at the Central Railway Station in Frankfurt, where they were involved in verbal attacks on Turkish passengers.