On December 29, 2011, 35 people were killed in a Turkish airstrike near a Kurdish village in the Uludere district of the Sirnak Province close to the border with Iraq. The Turkish military primarily said it had targeted suspected members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, Turkish officials later acknowledged that “civilians” were killed during the attack.
Mahmut Tanal, a member of the main Turkish opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), filed the complaint with a court in the capital, Ankara, on Monday.
“All military commands are carried out in a chain. The chief of the general staff is at the top of this chain and he takes consent from the prime minister. For this reason, the chief of the general staff and the prime minister are responsible for this massacre,” Tanal said in his complaint.
“All allegations should be examined and those who are found guilty should be charged.”
Tanal also stated in his complaint that because the Turkish president is the army’s commander-in-chief under the constitution, he also bore responsibility for the strike, according to a report published on hurriyetdailynews.com.
On May 17, a US military official, whose name was not mentioned in the news reports, said US spy drones had provided Turkey with intelligence to carry out the December 2011 attack.
“We are familiar with the incident. In this particular case, they (drone operators) did notice a group of people and some pack animals. That information was passed on to the Turks and then our drones departed the area,” the US official said.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription