File image.
Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense said on May 15 that it will continue to conduct operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in regions where the group is present until it is “certain” the “threat” is removed.
Earlier in the week, the Kurdish guerilla group announced that it would dissolve itself and end a decades-long conflict with Turkey.
The Turkish military will “continue to act in the regions used by the separatist PKK terrorist organization with determination until it is certain the region is cleared and will no longer pose a threat to Turkey”, a ministry spokesman said in a briefing.
The spokesman referred specifically to “land search and scan activities, the detection and destruction of caves, shelters, mines and hand-made explosives”.
The PKK is designated as a “terrorist” organization by Turkey and its Western allies, including the United States. The conflict with the group has been ongoing for over 46 years. It is estimated to have claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people, so far.
Turkish media, citing a defense official, reported that the PKK’s dissolution announcement has not altered Ankara’s military plans.
“Nothing has changed,” the official was quoted as saying. “Although the organization has declared its disbandment, we must remain vigilant against potential provocations from elements within the PKK who may not accept the decision.”
The unnamed official noted that if the dissolution is implemented “in a concrete manner,” the Turkish military could shift from active combat to containment strategies aimed at preventing other groups from taking advantage of the power vacuum in previously contested areas.
Recent reports revealed that Turkey was eager to see the PKk handing over its weapons, especially anti-tank guided missiles, not only in Iraq, but also in Syria. Iraq, specifically the government of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, will play a key role in the disarmament process.
It is still unclear however how the process will go on in Syria, and if the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which controls most of the northeastern part of the country, will take part.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
prostitute jolana cheated on erdogan with netanyahu.
the turks should oust erdogan because his destruction of countries like egypt, libya, and syria is causing turks to starve. el sisi saved egypt, so i have his picture hanging on my home altar right next to the picture of lucifer and enki.
jelly as—–ho …. erdogan is great leader ….no problem what’s so ever. our economy is growing fy
if the turks don’t finish off the pkk-ypg-sdf in syria; rojava will be like idling: a breeding ground for terrorists and a continuos threat for türkiye.
syria has gone to the dark side .
dams , power plants and irrigation .