Turkey announces ground operation against Kurdish militias “when possible”

The president of TurkeyRecep Tayyip Erdogan, assured today that his country will launch “as soon as possible” a land operation, “with tanks and soldiers”, against the Kurdish militias, intensifying the air and artillery operation deployed last weekend in the north of Syria and Iraq.

“We have been attacking the terrorists for a few days with our planes, cannons and weapons (…) Know that, as soon as possible, we will eradicate them all, together with our tanks and soldiers and our friends who will march with us”, declared erdoğan when inaugurating a dam in the Black Sea, in the northeast of the country.

LOOK: Turkey bombs the Kurds in Syria: there are at least 29 dead

When speaking of “terrorists”, Erdogan was referring to members of the Kurdish militia People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).the Kurdish guerrilla in Turkey.

Ankara considers both groups a single terrorist organization, which it holds responsible for the November 13 bomb attack in the center of istanbul which caused six deaths and 81 injuries, although both the YPG and the PKK separately denied any involvement in the attack.

erdoğan However, he returned today to insist on the version of the authorities of his country, since they know “the identity of each one of the terrorists in this area.”

In an obvious retaliatory action, Turkey launched on the 19th a bombing operation in the border territories of Syria and Iraq against the Kurdish militants which, according to what the Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar, said today, is still continuing and threatens an escalation of violence on the borders with the two Arabian countries.

the eve a missile attack fired from Syria killed two and wounded six in southern Turkey.

In his inaugural address for the Yusufeli dam and hydroelectric plant, erdoğan He recalled the fatalities (a child and a teacher) of that attack, for which he also blamed the Kurdish militias, and warned that “not a drop of blood spilled by these brothers will be wasted.”

In an apparent message to Washington, although without mentioning it, the Turkish president once again indirectly criticized US support for the YPGwith which an international coalition fights the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).

Turkish authorities “know who is sponsoring these terrorists,” Erdogan said.

“We have done our part by fulfilling all the agreements regarding the security of our Syrian borders (…) From now on, there is only one measure for us, there is only one limit. It is the security of our own country, of our own citizens, ”he stressed.

“Those who come from thousands of kilometers for their own safety should understand this right of ours,” added the Turkish president.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.