Turkish Government to consider the option of aerial campaign against terrorist camps in northern Irag
Turkey mulls several options, including an aerial campaign against the bases in the northern Iraq, as the civilian and military officials have mobilized to reinforce its military and political measures against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
Turkey’s civilian and military officials have mobilized to reinforce its military and political measures against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which could also include an aerial campaign against the terrorists’ bases in the northern Iraq.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with the country’s top commanders led by Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel on Tuesday in his office. The meeting came two days before the National Security Council, or MGK, meeting in which new measures will be discussed. Erdoğan, who hinted that the government might adopt a tougher stance against the PKK after Ramadan, met with his ministers late Monday to review the current state of theanti-terror fight late Monday. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Necdet Özel, alongside the land, navy, air and gendarmerie force commanders, visited Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek as well.
According to sources, among the options being considered in Ankara the urgent assignment of special police teams stands as a priority. It has already been decided that the Special Operations Police Teams will be assigned especially to sensitive regions and will once again be given a part in the fight against terror. After recent events, this decision will be executed faster. There are currently more than 6,000 Special Operations police officers. A group of 500 carefully selected from this team will be sent to high-risk areas such as Hakkari, Şırnak and Diyarbakır and will be deployed in the mountains where the PKK militants are known to be.
Steps will be taken toward the Black Sea region to tackle the existence of terrorists there, too. The Special Operations police officers will be deployed in Ordu, Tokat and Kastamonu. To avoid any complications in the cooperation of the police and the gendarmerie, governors will have command over assignments and the administrative aspects in the anti-terror operations taking place in each other’s areas of operation.
Air operations in Kandil Mountains
Operations in the Kandil Mountains are also options being debated in the fight against terror. The Kandil Mountains are known to serve as the headquarters of the terrorist PKK and the government is considering an air operation, by planning related talks with the United States and Iraq. The parliamentary mandate that allows the military to conduct cross-border operations into northern Iraq ends in October. Past aerial operations in northern Iraq were not very useful in ending the existence of terrorists in the region. While the government seems set on carrying out operations against the PKK, concerns remain that clashes might move toward the cities with terrorists targeting metropolitan areas, causing widespread panic. Security forces are already on alert.
No backing down from democracy
While deciding to strengthen the fight against the PKK, the government plans to also continue working toward solving the Kurdish issue by carrying the democratic initiative on through the new constitution, on which work will begin after the Ramadan holiday ends. The prime minister will also speak with academics, NGOs, lawyers and different parts of society about solving the Kurdish issue.
August 16, 2011
SOURCE: Hürriyet Daily News
