A Turkish defense ministry official indicated today, Thursday, that Turkey may carry out more military operations inside Iraq and Syria if necessary. The official stated, "According to international law and the right to self-defense, Turkey has every right to conduct operations to maintain the security of its borders. The Turkish armed forces have done and will do everything necessary wherever and whenever needed."
He added that "clashes occurred in the Zap Valley region of northern Iraq when PKK militants attacked a security site of the Turkish armed forces." The official noted that "PKK members launched simultaneous attacks on several Turkish bases in northern Iraq on January 12 during bad weather and low visibility, but Turkish soldiers managed to repel all attacks except for one."
He continued: "In our fight against terrorism, Syria and Iraq cannot be separated. Syria is the main human resource for the terrorist organization, and there is frequent movement between Syria and Iraq." He mentioned that "Turkey may carry out new operations across the border in Iraq and Syria and may also expand the areas of operations if needed."
