Speaking to AFP, one of DEM’s Diyarbakir leaders Abbas Sahin said the operation was a threat to the peace process which had been “severely tested” but “must continue”.
Bayram Bozyel, head of Diyarbakir-based Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK) said Turkey’s support for actions against Kurds in Syria was “causing unease among Kurds in Turkey”
“We don’t know how the PKK will react, (Ankara’s) policy has sparked a deep sense of distrust among Kurds,” he said.
Despite everything, Bozyel believes Turkey “will continue the (peace) process and the PKK disarmament” because it had no other choice.
“Otherwise the PKK will pose an even greater threat to Turkey.”
Last year, in response to a call by Ocalan, the PKK publicly ended its armed struggle against Turkey, saying it wanted to embrace democratic means to defend Kurdish rights.
But six weeks ago, a senior PKK leaders told AFP the group would take no further steps without Turkey taking steps to reciprocate.