Sinjar will not be PKK's 'new Qandil': President's aide

ISTANBUL

The Turkish president’s spokesman said Saturday that Turkey would not allow the northwestern Iraqi city of Sinjar to become the “new Qandil” or headquarters for the PKK terrorist organization.

Speaking to a fair in Istanbul, Ibrahim Kalin warned of the terrorist PKK’s goals.

"There is no Daesh threat or presence in Sinjar right now," he said, "but under the pretext of protecting Yazidis, the PKK is trying to turn Sinjar into Qandil."

"However, Turkey will not let that happen," he added.

The operation to liberate Mosul from Daesh has seen the PKK move into Sinjar, an area heavily populated by Yazidis that lies around 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Mosul and around 100 km (62 miles) southwest of the Turkish border.

The PKK and its Syrian offshoot the PYD are listed as terror groups by Turkey, although the U.S. and EU only view the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Mt. Qandil has served as a headquarters for the PKK in northern Iraq.

Reporting by Hilal Ustuk; Writing by Burcu Arik;