A new cross-border operation by the Turkish army in northern Iraq will continue until the terrorist threat emanating from the region is eliminated, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Friday.
The ground-to-air operation in northern Iraq, where the main camps of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey, was launched on Monday night. The Turkish defense ministry had previously reported the elimination of 30 separatists.
"The operation is aimed at eliminating the terrorist threat at its source, our main goal is to neutralize all terrorists to the last and rid our country of this terrorist plague," Akar told Habertürk television channel. He added that Turkey does not lay claim to foreign territories and respects Iraq's territorial integrity, independence and integrity.
According to the head of the Turkish defense ministry, the first phase of the operation was successful. "We have achieved our goals, the operation will continue," Akar noted.
The conflict with the PKK, which is banned in Turkey, has been going on since 1984. The main separatist camps are located in northern Iraq, and the Turkish army periodically conducts cross-border operations in the region, the most intense in the fall and spring. Since 2015, according to Turkish authorities, more than 12,000 PKK members have been liquidated in and outside the country.
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Based on materials from TASS