‘US founds Daesh for establishment of PKK state’

İhsan Başbozkurt, a retired brigadier general, who served the Turkish armed forces for years and led the operation of transferring the Tomb of Suleiman Shah, has said that the United States founded the Daesh terrorist organization, aiming at establishing a Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) state in the region.

Speaking to Turkish Yeni Şafak daily newspaper, Başbozkurt said the U.S. supported Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Daesh terrorist group, who first acted together with Al Nusra and then separated from them to form the Daesh terrorist group, for justifying its planned return to Iraq, which is a move aiming to improve its own image.

According to Başbozkurt, the U.S. also tasked Daesh to occupy some parts of Syria and dragged Syria into chaos in order to have a crisis to solve in Syria after Iraq.

“The U.S. tasked Daesh to control parts of Syria until it tells the group to withdraw for the formation of a PKK state in Syria. With the U.S.'s suggestion, Daesh occupied Ras al-Ayn, Tell Abyad, Jarabulus, Çobanbey al-Bab, Manbij and Raqqa, and handed over many of them to PKK/PYD without resisting," he said.

“If Daesh wanted to form a state, it would certainly be following a different strategy. It is so obvious. Luckily, the Free Syrian Army is really fighting against Daesh. However, countries should stop supporting Daesh; that is the only way to finish Daesh's existence in Syria," he said.

Başbozkurt also highlighted the importance of the Euphrates Shield Operation, saying that Turkey is a strong figure which is the biggest obstacle in front of terrorist groups to form a terror corridor inside Syria.

“Turkey is putting all its effort and managing the operation very well, despite the Fetullah Terrorist Organization's (FETÖ) attack inside the country. Turkey once proved that the military is strong enough to fight against the terrorists as the success of the army is marked by the Euphrates Shield operation," he said.

“Turkey is to head to Raqqa after helping FSA take control of Jarabulus, Azaz, al-Bab and Manbij square. The reason behind why the U.S is cooperating with Turkey is because it doesn't believe PKK/PYD forces would be strong enough for sweeping terrorists out," Başbozkurt said.

“I am sure that FSA would deal with Daesh, because they are more trained than the PKK-affiliated terrorists," said Başbozkurt, adding that around 5,000 people in Akçakale in Turkey's Şanlıurfa province may be trained against Daesh.

“It should be clearly highlighted that the Euphrates Operation is significant for Turkey's security. Some parties are questioning the purpose of Turkey. However they should question the role of the U.S. instead of Turkey," he said.

Retired Brigadier criticized the proposals of the Raqqa operation to be directed from Jarabulus.

“The operation should be managed from Tell Abyad, which is only around 90 kilometers away from Raqqa, instead of Jarabulus, located almost 300 kilometers far from the Daesh-held city, “he said.

“If the U.S. is sincere in its fight against Daesh, then Washington should let Turkey use this route in the operation against Daesh," the retired soldier said.

Başbozkurt said the U.S. played a game in Ayn al-Arab (Kobane) to justify the existence of PKK/PYD against Daesh.

“They persuaded the world that PKK/PYD is an important actor against Daesh. And if Turkey didn't receive thousands of Kurds fleeing the violence, then the U.S. would have showed Turkey as discriminative against Kurds. However, Turkey's hospitality foiled the game of the U.S.," he said