CHP holds government responsible in statement on 9 martyrs: 'It has failed to prevent the arrival of tragic news'

The Republican People's Party (CHP) Central Executive Board (MYK), which met in an extraordinary session, released a final declaration following the martyrdom of 9 of our soldiers last night as a result of a PKK attack in the Pençe-Kilit Operation region in Northern Iraq. CHP Chairman Özgür Özel had announced that the CHP MYK would hold an extraordinary meeting following the painful news.

The CHP MYK met today. A final declaration was shared with the public after the meeting.

The CHP MYK declaration is as follows:

"As a nation, we are once again devastated by the news of martyrs coming from the Pençe-Kilit Operation Region in northern Iraq last night. While the pain of our 12 children who were martyred as a result of the PKK terrorist organization's attacks on the nights of December 22-23, 2023, is still fresh in our nation's heart, we are experiencing the deep sorrow of losing 9 more soldiers in another attack.

We wish God's mercy upon our martyred soldiers, offer our condolences to their grieving families and our nation, and wish a speedy recovery to our wounded soldiers. We condemn the PKK terrorist organization and its terrorist attacks. Terrorist organizations will never achieve their goals!

The questions we asked following the attacks on December 22-23, 2023, remain unanswered; the government has not fulfilled its responsibility, has not taken precautions, and has failed to prevent the arrival of tragic news. The painful news received yesterday has increased our nation's concerns. We reiterate the questions we asked that day:

What are the political and military objectives of the Pençe-Kilit operation, which has been ongoing for 20 months, and what is the status of achieving these objectives?

Is there a weakness in obtaining intelligence regarding the activities of terrorists in the region?

Are the terrorists' attacks unavoidable because base areas lack sufficient protection and necessary fortifications against seasonal conditions?

Are additional measures being taken to eliminate surveillance weaknesses in cases where unmanned aerial vehicles cannot fly due to seasonal conditions?

Are the surveillance systems of base areas, such as thermal cameras, sufficient in terms of quantity and quality? If they are insufficient, why are they not being addressed rapidly?

Are the capabilities and resources for health support and medical intervention sufficient, especially within the period known as the 'golden hour'? What is the role of the abolition of the military health system in this weakness?

Martyr funerals wrapped in our flag are arriving in every corner of our homeland, and it is evident that the ruling party cannot fully ensure the safety of our soldiers.

It is impossible for us to forget that those who declared three days of national mourning for the death of the King of Saudi Arabia ignore our nation's call for our martyrs.

It is clear that the poorly and personally managed foreign policy has effects on the terrorist attacks that have intensified recently. We must rapidly return to a rational foreign policy approach that does not reject our deep-rooted diplomatic tradition and prioritizes our national interests and security.

Why these attacks cannot be prevented, whether necessary precautions have been taken, and whether there is negligence by those responsible must be clarified immediately. This problem cannot be solved by the government making the questions and calls voiced by our party a material for politics and provocation with negligence. Our nation no longer has the tolerance to lose another child of the homeland. Not clarifying why these treacherous attacks cannot be prevented is a disrespect to the memory of our martyrs and a national security issue for our country.

Although abandoned during the AKP government, it is a state tradition for the executive branch to regularly inform political parties, especially the main opposition party, during the determination and monitoring process of important state policies and urgently in such devastating events. Starting today, this practice must be returned to. Furthermore, we reiterate our call for the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to convene with this agenda and for our nation to be informed.

As the Republican People's Party, we will continue to resolutely do our part for the indivisible integrity of our country and nation, and for the safety of our soldiers."