Syria is allowing members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who are fighting Turkish forces, to establish bases in Syrian territory, as ties between the two neighboring countries deteriorate, a Turkish minister said.

According to Today’s Zaman, Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin said Turkish intelligence indicates that Syria is allowing PKK rebels to establish themselves in areas close to the Turkish border, describing the development as an apparent act of revenge against Turkey.

"Terrorist groupings that were not there a year ago have been spotted," Şahin told private NTV television. "Syria is turning a blind eye to terrorist groupings in areas close to the border to put Turkey in difficulty and perhaps as a way to take revenge on Turkey."