Title: Turkey and Iraq Discuss Steps to Combat Terrorism and Border Security

The Turkish Ministry of Defense indicated that "Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and his Iraqi counterpart Thabit Al-Abbasi discussed potential joint steps regarding counter-terrorism and border security during talks held today, Thursday." Al-Abbasi arrived in Ankara yesterday, Wednesday, after Turkey conducted airstrikes in northern Iraq targeting the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) following claims that it orchestrated the first bombing attack in the Turkish capital in years. Iraq condemned the Turkish airstrikes, with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid expressing hope for an agreement with Ankara to resolve this issue.