Turkey will go ahead with military operations in Iraq: Foreign Ministry

ANKARA

A Turkish F-16 fighter jet takes off from Incirlik airbase in the southern city of Adana, Turkey, July 27, 2015. Reuters Photo

Turkey will resolutely continue military operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, following criticisms from Iraqi authorities. 

Elaborating on the Iraqi foreign minister’s reaction against Turkish military’s Iraq operations in which Ibrahim al-Jafari called on Ankara to coordinate with Baghdad in its military campaign against the PKK, Bilgiç said Turkey simultaneously fights several terrorist organizations and will press ahead with military operations against the terrorist organization. 

Speaking at a press conference on Sept. 15, the spokesperson did not elaborate on if Turkey informed Baghdad ahead of operations, saying he did not know.

Al-Jafari said Sept. 12 he had summoned the Turkish ambassador last week to object to what he called a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

A spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment.

Jafari told Reuters Ankara has not coordinated with Iraq in the campaign, which Baghdad claims included an incursion into Iraq last week by Turkish special forces in pursuit of PKK militants.

“We are for the security of Turkey. Turkey has the right to defend itself,” he said ahead of an Arab League conference in Cairo. “But there must be coordination on the ground with the Iraqi government and Iraqi armed forces.”