Turkey has neutralized nearly 2,000 terrorists in cross-border anti-terror operations so far this year, said the country’s defense chief on Saturday.
Visiting a military base in Daglica, along the Turkish-Iraqi border, Hulusi Akar held a video conference with commanders of Turkish troops actively involved in anti-terror operations within Turkey and in northern Iraq and northern Syria.
Praising the professionalism and heroism of the troops, he stressed that the country’s war on terror will continue until its borders are completely secured.
Akar drew attention to a rising trend in terrorist attacks and particularly pointed to Manbij and Tal Rifat in northern Syria as major sources of YPG/PKK terrorism.
Both northern Iraq and northern Syria are used as bases by the terrorist group YPG/PKK to plan and launch attacks on Turkish civilians and troops as well as local Iraqis and Syrians. Turkey uses its rights under international law to launch cross-border operations to eliminate the terrorist threat.
No one should doubt that we will do whatever is necessary to eliminate terrorist threats stemming from these areas, added Akar.
While Turkish forces remain resolute and capable of neutralizing any threats to the nation, we expect our allies to show solidarity in this, Akar reiterated.
