FM: Turkey ‘may launch’ ground operation in Iraq

Ankara / AFP

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday Ankara could launch a ground operation in Iraq to remove any threats to Turkey that may arise.
“If there is a threat posed to Turkey, we are ready to use all our resources including a ground operation… to eliminate that threat,” Cavusoglu said in an interview with Kanal 24 broadcaster.
Cavusoglu referred to Turkey’s ambitious offensive in Syria as an example of how Turkey took the threat to its security seriously. Since August 24, Ankara has supported opposition rebels to clear the IS from its border and halt westward advance of the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG.
Turkey views the YPG as a terror group linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), waging an insurgency in Turkey’s southeast.
The PKK is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union but Washington believes the YPG is the most effective force against IS in Syria.
The PKK has bases in the Qandil mountains in northern Iraq which the Turkish military regularly hits with its warplanes.
Cavusoglu said any threat against Turkey in neighbouring regions of Iraq could draw a response.
“If the threat to us increases (there), we can deal with them using our rights under international law and our strength including a ground operation,” he added.
Ankara also said this week it had already hit IS positions with its artillery at the Bashiqa camp in northern Iraq.