Türkiye has come very close to eliminating PKK terrorism in its stronghold in northern Iraq, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Saturday amid ongoing operations in the region.
"The Turkish Armed Forces have largely cleared the Zap region where Operation Claw-Lock has been continuing since April last year," Güler told Turkish news broadcast A Haber in an interview.
The terrorist group has dug out numerous caves and hideouts across the mountains where they stash weapons and ammunition, as well as six to nine months of food and supplies, Güler explained and assured troops were constantly combing through the region searching for fugitive terrorists.
His remarks followed the news that Türkiye has eliminated over 21 terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria combined since last Thursday in retaliation for the killing of six Turkish soldiers in harassment fire by the PKK in Iraq.
The PKK has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands since the 1980s in its campaign of violence. Persistent counterterrorism operations reduced the number of its members hiding in Türkiye to below 120. Still, the terrorist group has more members camping in mountainous territories of northern Iraq and Syria’s northeast near the Turkish border.
Ankara has launched a series of operations to root out terrorists hiding out in its neighbors and plotting cross-border attacks in Türkiye, repeatedly warning that it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats if Iraqi officials failed to take necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group.
In the last two years, intensifying operations in northern Iraq have demolished terrorist lairs in Metina, Avashin-Basyan, Zap and Gara. After eradicating the group's influence in these regions, Türkiye also aims to clear Qandil, Sinjar and Makhmour.
"Terrorists know they cannot avoid the end that awaits them and that’s why they attempt harassment fire and attacks. We unfortunately lose soldiers to their attacks but we will continue fighting these groups," Güler said.
Abandoned by their ringleaders to die from starvation in the mountains, the terrorists of course prefer surrendering to Türkiye, the minister added.
In recent years, Türkiye has also stepped up domestic operations and efforts across its borders against the terrorist group and convinced a substantial number of members to abandon the PKK. Since the start of 2023, dozens of terrorists – 125 in 2022 – have turned themselves in to Turkish authorities.
Border safety
Güler went on to inform border safety was ensured "with the tightest measures in the republic’s history," including a multilayered system, modular concrete walls, high-security wire fences, and 4-meter (12-foot) deep and wide trenches.
He said 341 kilometers (221 miles) of the planned 376-kilometer trench along the Iranian border have been dug out so far and it is due for completion within the year. Türkiye has also built a 3-meter high wall along its Syrian border, which it extended to the Iranian border, topped by wire fences.
Syrian peace
As for the crisis in Türkiye’s neighborhood, Güler reiterated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been "working genuinely and around the clock" to ensure peace in Syria and pointed to the gradual talks between Ankara and Damascus.
"Türkiye genuinely wants peace, but we have to be cautious. It’s unthinkable for us to leave (northern Syria) without ensuring the safety of our borders and our people," Güler said, referring to Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad’s precondition that Türkiye withdraws its troops from northern regions in order for any potential rapprochement between the neighbors.
"I believe Assad will act more reasonably about this," he quipped. "The most important step to bringing peace to Syria is the creation and acceptance of a new constitution."
F-16 jets
Turning to Türkiye’s long-stalled efforts to obtain F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits from the United States, Güler admitted a "mostly positive" direction in negotiations, pointing to Joe Biden’s government’s willingness to ratify the deal despite objections from Congress.
"But even if it’s not said in so many words, it’s known that some in the U.S. are inclined to link the F-16 sale to Sweden’s NATO membership. We always express that a powerful Türkiye means a powerful NATO. Washington must now take concrete steps," he said.
Russia-Ukraine conflict
Regarding the war in Ukraine and the suspended Black Sea grain deal with Russia, Güler lamented "serious consequences" for global food security.
Most world leaders, including U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, believe Erdoğan can resolve this issue, the minister noted. "And he is working very hard for this."
Erdoğan hosted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul in early July and is set to receive Russian President Vladimir Putin later this month in a landmark visit.
"Unlike the claims of some of our allies about how having too many forces in the Black Sea means ensuring security, we believe this would only increase tension in the region. Our Western friends express readiness to support us when we need it and we welcome this, but this is currently not the case," Güler argued. "Türkiye has fairly and meticulously implemented the Montreux Convention so far and will continue to do so."
Turkish-Greek ties
Güler further hailed the ongoing thaw in Turkish-Greek ties, as well as positive efforts on both sides to maintain it.
Both Türkiye and Greece are warm to the idea of launching joint sporting activities between their respective military schools from 2024 onwards, as part of confidence-building measures, he noted.
He also revealed that later this month, he and his Greek counterpart could visit Türkiye’s southeastern region devastated by two deadly earthquakes earlier this year.