Turkey kills 21 militants in Iraq and Syria in 4 days
The Turkish Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar. Photo: Azer News
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Turkish authorities announced the killing of 21 militants in northern Syria and Iraq, during the last four days.
During a speech he delivered on Saturday in Kayseri province in central Turkey, the Turkish Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar, said that 21 militants have been killed in both Iraq and Syria in the previous four days, the Anadolu Agency reported.
Akar explained that the Turkish military forces continue to combat terrorism in northern Syria and Iraq.
The Turkish official also stressed that the Turkish Armed Forces will continue to protect the country’s borders and combat terrorism.
Turkey controls several areas in northern Syria, and from time to time, it launches operations against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which it classifies as a terrorist group.
The People’s Protection Units are mainly Kurdish groups in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said days ago that the Turkish people cannot even feel safe with a terrorist organization present in northern Syria and Iraq, equipped with air and land weapons.
Several areas in the Kurdistan region of Iraq are repeatedly bombarded by Turkish forces, and Ankara justifies its action with the need to combat the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Turkey recently launched several military operations inside the Iraqi territories against militants of the Kurdish party, which was rejected by Baghdad, and considered a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.
Turkey controls several areas in northern Syria, and from time to time it launches operations against members of the PKK.