Turkey launches military operations in northern Iraq

[News_Editor]

Turkey launches military operations in northern Iraq

2011-10-21 19:51:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

ANKARA, TURKEY (BNO NEWS) -- The government of Turkey on Thursday launched a military operation against Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq, officials said on Friday.

The announcement comes after clashes broke out simultaneously Wednesday in three different areas between suspected members of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and security forces in Turkey's Hakkari province. Officials with the country's prime minister later confirmed that a total of 24 soldiers had been killed while 18 others have been injured.

In a counterattack, Turkey deployed around 1,000 soldiers into northern Iraq where security officials said they had killed 21 suspected PKK members. According to the Turkish military, operations were launched in five different regions in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq, the World Bulletin website reported.

Turkish officials have expressed anger and pledged to avenge the PKK attacks as speculations indicate that its military operations could be as large as in 2008 when some 10,000 Turkish troops swept into northern Iraq. As ground forces carry out operations, cobra helicopter gunships have also been deployed for support.

Following Wednesday's PKK attacks, which have been the deadliest in recent years, crowds of angry people mounted protests in several cities including Istanbul and the country's capital of Ankara, reportedly chanting anti-PKK slogans.

Wednesday's fighting also came just one day after after a roadside bomb attack in the Güroymak district of Bitlis province killed at least eight people, including five policemen and three civilians. Among the victims was a 2-year-old girl.

Previous reports said Turkish intelligence officers had recently intercepted radio communications between militants which revealed that PKK senior member Erdal of Syria ordered increased attacks against Turkish security forces after the destruction of a PKK camp.

Last week, a PKK camp located in Kavaklı, located some 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the provincial center of Turkey's southeastern Hakkari province, was destroyed by Turkish military forces. The camp was a key base for the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), the organization controlling the PKK and affiliated groups, both logistically and strategically.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan has called on Turkish Kurds to fight off the PKK, which has increased its attacks in the past few months. Throughout the year, Turkey has carried out air strikes against suspected PKK targets in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish area and in southeastern Turkey.

Suspected PKK rebels have killed at least 65 Turkish soldiers since July. Eight Turkish soldiers and a village guard were killed on August 17 when a roadside bomb and an ambush targeted a military convoy in Turkey's southeastern province of Hakkari near the Iraqi border. Among the fatalities was a military officer who was in command of the troops.

The PKK, which has been labeled as a terrorist organizations by the United States, Turkey and the European Union, was established in 1984 in its efforts to establish the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey as an autonomous Kurdish state. Over 40,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed in violent clashes since the group took arms. The PKK maintains its military bases across the Iraqi border.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-21

[koheesti]

How will the Iraqi gov't respond to the Turkish Army crossing their border?

[smiling mantis]

How will the Iraqi gov't respond to the Turkish Army crossing their border?

Since it appears that international law is some sort of optional construct, perhaps the better questions is, what constraints if any are there on what the potential Iraqi gov't response might be?

It's like the world is being run by baboons. Sucks for us higher primates.

[Steely Dan]

It's funny how Turkey is a stickler for upholding international law, just so long as the law applies to others and not itself. This is a long established trend as Cyprus can attest as can the Armenians before that.

[geriatrickid]

I doubt any arab countries will be bringing a motion of condemnation before the UN. Usual double standard in that part of the world.

[chooka]

Isn't launching aggresive military action in and on the people of another country an act of war. I am sure if Australia or the U.S military forces entered thailand and launched an attack on the people of Chiangmai it would be considered an invasion.

Then again if the U.S and it's friends can attack Iraq then they can't realy direct criticism towards Turkey it would be just a tad hypicritical.

[Scott]

There is a fairly long history of Turkish invasions into the Kurdish area of Northern Iraq. During the no-fly zone era, they did it quite frequently. If anyone objected, then they wouldn't allow the coalition to use Turkey to enforce the no-fly zone.

Saddam, of course, didn't mind much about the killing of Kurds--either Turkey's or Iraq's.

The current gov't will likely object, but nothing serious will result.

[solrune]

First of all calling terorrists as a rebel movement is an idiotic and ignorant thing to begin this and all other reports. PKK is a "terrorist" group which has been accepted and recognized as "terrorist group" by US,EU and many countries.not rebels. Rebels do not kill women or children as you all can find not more than 2 pages before in this very same news section.

For all the rest of you guys: If your country will be constantly under attack by some lowlife with guns, i'm sure all of you would agree to an out of border operation. And every country has the right to defend itself against all sorts of threats no matter where do they come from. I can see that it is very hard to do for you but give it a try and just "think"

[Scott]

An off-topic post was deleted.

[smiling mantis]

PKK is a "terrorist" group which has been accepted and recognized as "terrorist group" by US,EU and many countries.not rebels.

It's a distinction without any meaning. Propaganda only.

[Scott]

Two off-topic posts deleted. One poster given a holiday. Stay on-topic or lose your posting ability.

[Scott]

And another poster given a holiday.

[solrune]

PKK is a "terrorist" group which has been accepted and recognized as "terrorist group" by US,EU and many countries.not rebels.

It's a distinction without any meaning. Propaganda only.

you are either a very ignorant man or armenian/cyprusian who still can not stand anything bout Turks. I think you better grow up and face the facts like almost half of the world did, PKK is a terrorist group and that's it.

[Scott]

Please don't feed the trolls.

The relationship between the Kurds and the countries they live in is a complex one.

The PKK is widely considered to be a terrorist organization. The article is not about Armenia or Cyprus. It's about a Turkish military operation in northern Iraq.

Please confine your posts to the topic.

[solrune]

Please don't feed the trolls.

The relationship between the Kurds and the countries they live in is a complex one.

The PKK is widely considered to be a terrorist organization. The article is not about Armenia or Cyprus. It's about a Turkish military operation in northern Iraq.

Please confine your posts to the topic.

Right. And I personally would like to know why the "author" of this "article" used the term "rebels" instead of the right term of "terrorist" ? This is not the first time I'm reading such news with same wrong word about PKK.

[Scott]

I think a discussion of the semantics used by various journalists isn't going to get us very far and really isn't the subject of thread.

In my experience with reading these articles, the use of the word terrorist is quite emotive. The organization has been labeled a terrorist organization, but not every member of the group is by extension a terrorist. The use of terms such as rebels and insurgents is simply safer, easier and more expedient in getting the information out.

[koheesti]

With the US being completely out of Iraq by the end of the year, Turkey and any other neighbor will be able to cross into Iraq at will despite what the Iraqi people or gov't thinks.

[Scott]

They crossed the border at will when the US gov't was there. I know of no effort by anyone to stop the incursions.

Turkey held all the cards with the US. The US needed the air bases in Turkey (as well as a lot of logistical support). In return, in part, all they got was a slight verbal condemnation when incursions were made. These, I believe, were largely limited to only the publicized operations and those in which Iraqi civilians were killed.

The Iraqi Kurds, by the way, were not largely supportive of the Turkish Kurds, probably because they had their own problems with which to deal. I lived there for a number of years, and I never heard any strong condemnation by the Iraqi Kurds, unless Iraqi villages were struck.

Since Jalal Talabani took a prominent place in the Iraqi government (don't know if he is still in a position of power), I would expect a stronger reaction. Talabani was the head of the Iraqi-Kurdish faction the PUK.

[koheesti]

They crossed the border at will when the US gov't was there. I know of no effort by anyone to stop the incursions.

Turkey held all the cards with the US. The US needed the air bases in Turkey (as well as a lot of logistical support). In return, in part, all they got was a slight verbal condemnation when incursions were made. These, I believe, were largely limited to only the publicized operations and those in which Iraqi civilians were killed.

I didn't know the Turks started allowing us to use bases in Turkey again. I know they blocked us from using Turkish territory leading up to the invasion.

[Scott]

I think they blocked the US from using the bases for the invasion. At any rate, I am not too up-to-date on the situation as I was some years back. The use of Turkish bases for support for the no-fly zone was essential. Humanitarian and other support for the Iraqi-Kurd's came through Turkey.

Turkey, of course, was not interested in having these people flee Iraq and end up in Turkey. They had a little experience with that.

The relationship between the US Military and the Turkish Military is pretty congenial and the Turkish military are very powerful and not particularly beholden to the civilian government. (There are a lot of similarities between Thailand and Turkey with regard to politics and the military).

[solrune]

Turkey might not have officially approved US to use the land for the Iraq invasion but one way or another US forces used Turkish bases under the name of logistic,health reinforcements. Biggest example is Incirlik/Adana air base.

Turkish army may be large in numbers and may be well trained but you can not fight with some men who come in dark and open fire while u r unaware or you can not know when they will set up a mine even though u checked the whole area and patrolling around the city.

[Scott]

Off-topic post deleted. Please stick to the topic.

[midas]

They crossed the border at will when the US gov't was there. I know of no effort by anyone to stop the incursions.

Turkey held all the cards with the US. The US needed the air bases in Turkey (as well as a lot of logistical support). In return, in part, all they got was a slight verbal condemnation when incursions were made. These, I believe, were largely limited to only the publicized operations and those in which Iraqi civilians were killed.

I didn't know the Turks started allowing us to use bases in Turkey again. I know they blocked us from using Turkish territory leading up to the invasion.

Turkey will not allow attack on Iran from its territory

http://www.iranian.com/main/2011/sep/erdogan-turkey-will-not-allow-attack-iran-its-territory

Edited October 24, 2011 by midas

[JemJem]

I find it funny and sad at the same time that some of you who criticise Turkish army's going into Northern Iraq, have possibly approved of the US invasion of Iraq (which has caused so much death and destruction there).

Why the double standards?

As for my view on this issue, I think that the chances are 90 percent that Turkey WON'T be able too solve its so-called 'Kurdish problem' by military or police means. And, unfortunately, there is a big chance that many innocent people will be killed due to these incursive operations.

Jem

Edited October 24, 2011 by JemJem

[Pakboong]

Top terror alert issued today to US in Turkey and a few other places in the area.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=82296&page=1

ABCNEWS has learned that U.S. military personnel in three critical locations have been put on the very highest state of alert after being warned of potential terrorist attacks.

At the U.S. Air Force installation at Incirlik, Turkey, officials say “credible” and “specific” warnings have been received. The level of credibility about the warning is so high, that “even the Turks believe it,” one source told ABCNEWS, indicating the threat was very visible and believable.

[geriatrickid]

They crossed the border at will when the US gov't was there. I know of no effort by anyone to stop the incursions.

Turkey held all the cards with the US. The US needed the air bases in Turkey (as well as a lot of logistical support). In return, in part, all they got was a slight verbal condemnation when incursions were made. These, I believe, were largely limited to only the publicized operations and those in which Iraqi civilians were killed.

I didn't know the Turks started allowing us to use bases in Turkey again. I know they blocked us from using Turkish territory leading up to the invasion.

Correct. There was an explicit refusal.

When the Kurdish rebels appeared to be gaining poower on its borders, Turkey reversed itself and reluctantly offered assistance for "rebuilding" and sent in its military on the border.