'N.Iraq operation was mistake': Turkish opposition head

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's main opposition party leader on Tuesday criticized the government over the PKK terror group's killing of 12 Turkish citizens earlier this month, amid a counter-terror operation in northern Iraq.

"No military officer, no official serving in the public sector would accept such an operation. This was a mistaken operation,” Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), told his party's parliamentary group.

Kilicdaroglu said he has some questions for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the operation, adding: "I haven’t gotten answers to these questions yet. Instead of insulting me, the nation is waiting for answers to these questions."

He said Erdogan should have asked human rights groups to help save the captives from the terrorist PKK.

"You might have wanted the hostages not to be harmed and to be delivered back to Turkey," Kilicdaroglu said.

He asked: "You could have done it, frankly, but you didn't. Why not?"

On Feb. 14, Turkey’s defense minister announced that 13 bodies had been found during Turkey's anti-terror operation in Gara, northern Iraq.

It later emerged that 12 of them were Turkish nationals, and the 13th was from Iraq.

Turkish forces carried out a four-day Operation Claw-Eagle 2 in Gara, northern Iraq in early February to prevent the PKK and other terror groups from re-establishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks on Turkey.

Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle first began last June to ensure the safety of Turkey's people and borders.

The PKK massacre drew a public outcry in Turkey as well as international condemnation.

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 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.