Türkiye anti-terror strategy deals heavy blow on terrorists

ANKARA

Türkiye’s anti-terror strategy that aims to eradicate terrorists in their hide-outs in northern Syria and Iraq has succeeded and zeroed terrorist activities on Turkish soil, the defense minister has said, informing that 78 PKK members were neutralized in the Turkish army’s strikes in retaliation to the PKK’s recent attacks.

Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan informed the Turkish Parliament in a special session on the state of Türkiye’s fight against the terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria following the PKK’s attacks on the Turkish army that killed 21 troops in less than a month.

“As a result of our anti-terror strategy that aims to eliminate the terrorist threats in their shelters [outside Türkiye], the PKK has lost its capacity to act in northern Iraq and attack against us from there,” Güler stated.

Thanks to the Claw-Lock Operation that was launched in 2019, the Turkish army created a secure zone 30 kilometers deep inside Iraq through the establishment of temporary bases, Güler informed, adding, “The senior members of the PKK have been neutralized and the PKK’s attacks against the Turkish cities were zeroed.”

The defense minister reiterated that Türkiye will never allow the creation of a terror corridor along its southern border and take all the measures against the presence of the PKK/YPG and ISIL.

“The number of terrorists that were eliminated in the past days is 78 and in the past year is 2,375,” Güler stated, repeating that the army, in coordination with the intelligence agency, will continue to attack the terrorist targets in the northern parts of both Iraq and Syria.

“On the other hand, we are ready to cooperate with Iraqi officials in wiping the terrorists out there. But, if they fail to do so, we will take all the measures against the terrorists in Iraq,” he said, stressing that these military acts do not harm the two countries’ sovereign rights.

“We are constantly increasing security measures at our bases in the region. Our base areas are constantly being strengthened,” Güler informed. He also asked the political parties not to use the PKK’s attacks on the troops for domestic political purposes.

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Foreign Minister Fidan, for his part, explained that the PKK/YPG are in efforts to increase their military and political influence in both Iraq and Syria.

Fidan also criticized Russia for allowing the PKK's presence in the Menbij area in northern Syria.

The United States and some European nations are supporting the YPG under the pretext of fighting the ISIL, the minister suggested, accusing the anti-ISIL coalition of supporting the PKK.