Turkish military increases level of drill near Iraqi border

Uğur Ergan - ANKARA

REUTERS photo

The Turkish Armed Forces on Sept. 23 increased the level of a drill it has been conducting near the Iraqi border for the past six days as additional troops were deployed.

According to military sources, the drill was increased to the “second phase” on Sept. 23.

The military exercise on Sept. 18 came just a week before a referendum on the independence of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). 

The exercise began in the southeastern province of Şırnak’s Silopi district, which sits to the north of the Syrian and Iraqi borders. The army said the exercise is “part of Turkey’s anti-terror operations” in the border region.