Turkey says to continue northern Iraq operation
Rahshan Saglam
Press TV, Istanbul
Turkey says it will press ahead with its cross-border operation in northern Iraq if Baghdad continue to overlook Kurdish militants in the region.
Turkey says it will continue its operations in northern Iraq urging Iraqi authorities to cooperate with Ankara in fight against anti-Ankara militants.
Turkey regularly attack Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, both in its mainly Kurdish southeast and in northern Iraq, where the group is based.
On Tuesday, a Turkish air raid in northern Iraq killed two members of Iraq's border guard and their driver. The attack sparked harsh protest from Iraq with Iraqi army calling the attack a "flagrant aggression". Turkey said the killing was a mistake.
Iraq, however, cancelled a visit by Turkey's defence minister to the country. It also summoned the Turkish ambassador to inform him of "Iraq's confirmed rejection of his country's attacks and violations".
At least five civilians have also been killed in northern Iraq since mid-June, when Turkey ramped up its cross-border operations targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party militants.
Ankara has been attacking the PKK hideouts in northern Iraq over the past 25 years. During the period, the Turkish military has also set up dozens of bases on the Iraqi soil to confront the militants, who want an independent state in southeastern Turkey.
Turkey accuses Iraq of tolerating the PKK presence on its soil and has pledged to sustain its attacks. Analysts say the only solution to ease the ongoing tension between Ankara and Baghdad is cooperation in fighting terrorism.
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