23 March 2017•Update: 24 March 2017
By Sultan , and Sarp Ozer
ANKARA
Turkey on Thursday warned Russia it may respond if there are further PKK/PYD attacks against it in the future, the Foreign Ministry said.
The warning came after a Turkish soldier in the southern province of Hatay was killed by PKK/PYD sniper fire on Wednesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara, Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said the Russian charge d’affaires had been invited to the ministry following the shooting to be told of Turkey’s alarm.
He said the envoy was told of the “kind of steps that should be taken in order to prevent similar cases in the future” and that “a reprisal” would be aimed at the PKK/PYD if such an attack was repeated.
The soldier was killed on Wednesday morning at the Reyhanli Bukulmez border post by gunfire from Syria, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Wednesday.
The army retaliated in self-defense under international law, the statement added, without specifying the form of retaliation.
The PKK/PYD is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey due to its ties to the PKK, which has waged a terror campaign against Ankara since 1984.
However, the PKK/PYD is viewed by the U.S. as its ally against Daesh in Syria and Russian forces are stationed in Afrin, the northwestern Syrian district controlled by the PKK/PYD.
PKK/PYD offices in Russia
Muftuoglu said Turkey expects Russia to take steps to shut down PKK/PYD offices in the country.
He said Turkey and Russia are sharing views over "every type of terrorist organization" with links to the PKK/PYD and YPG.
"That is a known fact," he said. "We expect Russia to take steps to shut down the offices there."
Turkish dismay over photos showing PKK terrorists, Russian soldiers together
Muftuoglu also voiced Turkey's concerns over photographs on social media showing Russian soldiers and PKK/PYD and YPG terrorists in city of Aleppo during a celebration to mark the spring festival of Newroz.
Muftuoglu said Turkey's" dismay over the issue have been "conveyed" to Russian charge d’affaires Sergei Panov.
Defense minister disavows -YPG 'cooperation'
On Thursday evening, Turkey's Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Turkey "disavows" the cooperation by the Russian Federation and the United States with the YPG terror group.
" of images saddens us," said minister, responding to journalists' questions. "We will continue to voice our displeasure on the issue."
PYD is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK -- considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. EU -- whereas YPG is the armed wing of PYD, and considered by the U.S. a "reliable partner" in the region in the fight against Daesh.
Electronics ban on flights
Commenting on the new U.S. and British ban on in-flight electronic devices coming from certain countries including Turkey, Muftuoglu said the sides should work together to decide on effective measures instead of temporary fixes.
"Measures we take targeting those who could pose threats instead of punishing ordinary passengers will always be more effective," Muftuoglu said, adding that Turkey is negotiating with the U.S. and Britain to exclude Istanbul's main Ataturk Airport and national flag carrier Turkish Airlines from the ban.
On Tuesday, the U.S. issued stringent regulations for airline passengers carrying electronic devices.The Department of Homeland Security said the restrictions would apply to flights from eight Muslim-majority countries, including Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport.
It cited fresh “evaluated intelligence” that suggested terror groups continued to target commercial flights by “smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items”. The U.K. later issued a similar ban on all flights from airports in Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia.
Medical devices are exempt but still have to be scanned before being taken aboard.
