‘No civilians harmed in irregular warfare against terror,’ says top Turkish commander

ISTANBUL

AA photo

Amid sweeping security operations and curfews in Turkey’s southeast, the country’s Air Forces commander has praised the security forces for “not harming civilians during operations against terrorism.”

“In these kinds of irregular warfare operations, giving zero damage to civilians is very important for us. Ensuring the prosperity of civilians in these operations is a big success for us,” Air Forces Commander Gen. Abidin Ünal said yesterday, delivering the opening speech at the International Symposium on Air Warfare (ISAW) arranged with coordination of the Turkish Air War College.

According to official military figures, thousands of outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants have been killed since operations began in July 2015. However, hundreds of security personnel have also been killed in clashes, as well as civilians caught in the crossfire. 

The southeast has been gripped by violence since July. 


Confidence in unmanned systems

The army recently said a total of 347 militants have been killed in in Mardin, Şırnak and Hakkari, all provinces in the southeast, since the start of security operations in July.

“Confidence in unmanned systems is continually increasing. The issue of irregular warfare is also important and the air forces continue to be a part of irregular warfare,” the top Air Force commander also said.