UN describes Turkish airstrikes against PKK as self-defense

NEW YORK—The United Nations described Turkey’s recent air campaign outside its borders as self-defense and in accordance with the organization’s charter.

“This action taken by Turkey was done in accordance with the UN Charter, as a way of exercising their self-defence. That is what has been explained to me by Prime Minister Davutoglu.” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Ban Ki-moon who spoke after a Security Council meeting on Syria, said that Turkey’s actions fall within chapter 51 of the UN Charter that grants its member states the right of self-defense.

Meanwhile, in response to a Rudaw question on his most recent phone conversation with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the UN Chief said, “I would strongly advise and urge the parties concerned to resolve all these pending issues through dialogue,”

Turkish fighter jets have been bombing the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) bases in the mountains of northern Iraq for a week after Ankara agreed to join the anti Islamic State (ISIS) coalition.

Up until Wednesday, the UN kept a neutral position on the recent Turkish-PKK conflict, calling through its spokesperson for a “return to dialogue,”

Turkey has also sent a formal letter to members of the UN Security Council, detailing how the airstrikes are the practice of self-defense against ISIS and the PKK.