“The Department of State has reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of the PKK,” the note said. “Today’s actions notify the US public and the international community that the PKK remains a terrorist organization.”

In addition to its continued status as an FTO, the PKK has also been designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 since 2001, the State Department recalled. The PKK was originally designated as an FTO in 1997, it said.

“Since designating the PKK over two decades ago, the United States has worked with Turkey and other Allies to counter the terrorist threat from the PKK. The United States maintains a strong commitment to our partnership with our NATO ally Turkey,” the note said.

That commitment included the US government working with Turkey in fighting PKK fundraising operations in Europe and elsewhere, the State Department added.

Washington has been supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led militia that controls Syrian territories to the east of the Euphrates. Turkey sees the militia as linked to the Turkey-based PKK which Ankara has listed as a terrorist organization. 

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