N.Iraq operation will help peace, security: Turkish president

By Berk Ozkan

ANKARA (AA) – An operation launched on Friday night against terrorists in northern Iraq aims to completely eliminate the terrorist threat along Turkey’s southern borders, said the Turkish president on Saturday.

“This operation, carried out with respect for Iraq’s territorial integrity, will contribute to the establishment of peace and security in the region,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said via video link to the Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim command center.

​​​​​​​He stressed that Turkey aims to rid its southern borders of terrorism against efforts to establish a terrorist presence there.

The separatist terrorist group PKK often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey’s southern border, to hide out and plot terror attacks in Turkey.

There is no place for separatist terrorist groups in the future of Turkey or neighboring Iraq or Syria, said Erdogan.

So far in the operation many terrorists have been neutralized and multiple shelters and caves destroyed, he added.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin