Sweden’s PM condemns MPs posing with PKK flag amid Turkey NATO row | Al Arabiya English

Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on Wednesday condemned a group of left-wing MPs who posed with flags from Kurdish militants as the country’s NATO membership bid faces Turkish pressure over such groups.

NATO on Tuesday kicked off the accession procedures for Sweden and Finland after a deal was struck with Turkey, which had blocked the Nordic nations from joining.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had accused them of being havens for Kurdish militants, specifically highlighting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) he has sought to crush, and for promoting “terrorism.”

On Tuesday, images spread on social media showing parliamentarians from the Left Party, which opposed Sweden’s decision to apply for NATO membership, posing with flags from the PKK, as well as militant group YPG and the all-female YPJ, considered terrorist groups by Turkey.

The images were taken during an annual political gathering on the island of Gotland.