Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has criticised Turkey’s crackdown on Kurdish protest while they stand idly by in the face of ISIS’ brutal attack on Kobani.

Deputy Crowe said:

“It is shocking to see Turkish forces attacking Kurds on the Turkish-Syrian border while their well-equipped soldiers sit on their tanks and watch ISIS advance on Kobani.

“Last week Turkey’s parliament authorised the Government to use force against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, yet they have so far refused to commit any military support to stop the brutal ISIS attack on Kobani.

“Kurdish spokespeople claim that Turkey is also repeatedly hindering Kurdish reinforcements and supplies from crossing the border to defend the besieged city.

“Kurds have been protesting in almost 30 cities across Turkey at the Government’s deliberate and calculated blocking of support to the besieged fighters across the border.

“This is in stark contrast to their response to the protest were they have mobilised their troops on the street and implemented curfews for the first time since the 1990s.

“The heavy handed and extreme approach of Turkey’s authorities has resulted in the death 21 Kurdish protesters.

“The dire situation in Kobani gets worse by the hour and Kurdish activists are now saying ISIS controls about a third of the city after days of an intense ground and air assault.

“The imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, has said that if this Kurdish city falls and massacres follow then the PKK will pull out of the peace process.

“The whole world is aware of ISIS’ brutal and violent, sectarian and genocidal, aims. Turkey needs to forget about its own selfish concerns and stop ISIS from taking Kobani in order to prevent another bloody massacre.”

ENDS