Illustrative image: Turkish battle tanks
Over 500 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have been ‘neutralized’ by Turkish forces in northern Iraq since the start of 2018, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said on June 8 following a meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defense Ministers’ session.
“We are doing what is necessary to totally eradicate [enemies], and we will do it till the end,” Canikli said commenting on Turkey’s operations against Kurdish armed groups in southern Turkey, northern Syria and northern Iraq.
The defense minister added that the Turkish state is still affected by security threats from northern Iraq, which are posed by the PKK.
The PKK is a Kurdish separatist group, which is involved in a long-standing militancy against the Turkish government. It de-facto seeks to establish an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey and, if it’s possible, to include territories of northern Syria and Iraq into it.
The Turkish Air Force has been carrying out airstrikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq since July 2015. In late 2017 and early 2018, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) have expanded their operations against the PKK in the area employing units of the Special Operations Forces.
A pro-Turkish map shows the military situation in northern Iraq.
The anti-PKK operation in northern Iraq goes along the battle against the group inside Turkey. On June 9, the Turkish military announced that at least 14 PKK terrorists had been “neutralized” in the southeastern province of Sirnak. The PKK members were allegedly targeted by an airstrike. Two PKK members were also “neutralized” in the southeastern province of Hakkari. On June 8, a Turkish police officer was killed during clashes with PKK members in the Bestler-Mt. Kaval region.
At the same time, the Turkish leadership is publicly considering to expand its ground military actions against the PKK in northern Iraq by advancing on Qandil Mountains.
Ankara sees southern Turkey, northern Iraq and northern Syria as a united battleground against the PKK and other Kurdish armed groups. MORE ABOUT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA
Something makes me feel uneasy about Turkish troops being so close to Iran, smells fishy.
Very. Uncle Sam’s eternal deputies. Never daring to do a thing without the greenlight from their Uncle Sam. They could nt even take Cyprus until they stole it under a ceasefire agreement. Just as useless and cowardly as the Sauds. Cruel and merciless when winning ,cowering and bootlicks when beaten. Disgusting people! The Blight of Asia then, the Blight of Western Europe now! Yukk!
Don’t underestimate the Turks, they saved Uncle Sam’s butt in Korea.
Rubbish! The same was said of Greek and Australian troops. I dont doubt the Turks fought well but the other two saved the Yanks butt as well then.
That is the problem, they own the entrance to the Black Sea, so the US lets them pull all kinds of underhanded moves like Cypress, even though Greece has been a longstanding European Ally.
Treachery aimed at Iran is my guess, the old “Sunni is the real Islam” crap, with quiet US backing.
Iran should negotiate something with Iraq and quick.
When Iran was selling oil for gold, it was Turkey that supplied the gold.
The US was going ballistic, trying to stop Turkey, but the Turks just ignored the US. It was that gold trade that forced the US into making the deal with Iran.
I imagine that now the US has broken the agreement, Iran will go back to gold, and Turkey will once again be the supplier.
As for Greece, you do know the US/UK bombed Greece after WWII, and installed a dictator?
The US is terrified of gold, so anybody who wants to do their bit to end the American tyranny, should buy some gold.
Every gram of gold is another straw on Americas back, who knows it might be your gram that breaks their back?
Turds killing Turds.
Good for Syria, Iran.
try again
Of course the Turks don’t report their own losses, and that number sounds exaggerated mainly because that many casualties would involve many more and larger battles than are known to be occurring.