Operations against PKK did not halt, Turkish military says

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish Armed Forces photo

Turkey’s general staff has denied a media report published today claiming that operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were stopped three months ago.

“The Turkish Armed Forces is continuing its duty within the scope of the legislation,” the military said in a written statement on its website today, in an open reference to a report also published today on daily Aydınlık.

The Aydınlık report, which spoke of a written order by the general staff, came at a time when the withdrawal of PKK militants is on the agenda following a call by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on March 21, Nevruz day, as a part of ongoing talks to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue.

The military also denied a separate claim that a group of PKK militants left the country under the watch of military jets yesterday.

A media story headlined “First group passes through border, jets watch” was not true, the general staff said in the same statement. Daily Akşam ran the story in today’s issue.

Military scout planes inspected 13 points outside the Turkish border, the armed forces said.