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Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-Chair Salih Müslim has talked to the Russian news agency Sputniknews about Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) air operation yesterday (October 20).

PYD co-Chair Salih Müslim denied TSK’s statement that they had hit 18 YPG (People’s Protection Units) targets and killed 160-200 militants and noted that 11 local force members had been killed according to the information acquired from regional sources.

Disclaiming TSK’s statement that YPG had launched artillery shootings from Afrin to Hatay, Müslim noted that they had no grudge against Turkey.

Some highlights from Müslim’s remarks on the Aleppo operation, Turkey’s desire to join the Mosul operation, TSK’s statement about the missile shooting and Syrian Leader Bashar al Assad’s statement of supporting the Kurds against ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) are as follows;

Turkey’s attacks target civilians

“Turkey has not killed approximately 200 members of our armed forces. Turkish Armed Forces’ statement is false. The areas bombed by Turkish Armed Forces are civilian areas. Turkey’s attacks target civilians. The damages and results of the last attack has not been determined exactly yet but 11 people reportedly have lost their lives. And these are also civilians like I have said.

“There is an organization consisting of locals there, it is called Ceyş El-Siwar. They had been defending their territory against ISIS. Turkish jets have hit local people and local organizations to support ISIS”.

YPG has never attacked Turkey

“YPG has never carried out an attack against Turkey. Or maybe some other forces have launched artillery shootings and Turkey wants to put the blame on us. Because we have experienced similar incidents earlier. Turkey used to accuse YPG directly whenever there was an attack. The same game is still being played. Yet Kurdish forces affiliated with us have never hit Turkey.

“We have not obtained any weapons from Assad”.

“What Bashar Assad claims is definitely not true; we obtain weapons [from them] nor have negotiations [with them]. In my opinion, he intents to send some messages to certain people . But Assad has never provided our armed forces weapons within our knowledge and we don’t have negotiations either”.

“They are using civilians as a shield in Aleppo”

“The humanitarian pause in Aleppo has been extended for 24 hours, as announced by Russia, that is true. Russia wants to separate civilians from Al Nusra and other terrorist organizations. But like they do the same with terrorist organizations, they are also using the civilians as a shield. But it is not easy to get the terrorists out of Aleppo. In fact, they even don’t let the civilians out”.

“Without PKK, there would be no place left called Shingal”

“Now everybody asks; ‘Why does PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) want to join Mosul operation?’. They used to ask the same for Shingal. Without PKK, there would be no place left called Shingal. If we can talk about Shingal and Yezidis today, we owe to PKK and YPG. But in Mosul, there is no armed force connected to the forces of YPG. And no one has invited such either. But wherever the Kurd-hater ISIS is located, we are as YPG are ready to fight them. If there is a demand that YPG fight against ISIS in Mosul, then we could also participate”.

“Turkey would not fight against ISIS”

“Turkey would never join an operation against ISIS. Turkey is always there to support ISIS. We have already experienced what kind of a relationship Turkey had with ISIS in Jarablus and Shingal. Turkey’s forces in Bashiqa were never against ISIS, on the contrary, they are there to aid ISIS. (HK/DG)