Turkish defense chief visits Iraqi border with military top brass

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) — Türkiye's minister of national defense paid a visit on Sunday to the country's southern border with Iraq amid ongoing anti-terror operations.

“Throughout the night, National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, who led operations from the Air Force Operations Center, went to the Iraqi border with the first light of the morning,” the ministry said on X, adding that Guler was accompanied by the military top brass.

Turkish airstrikes destroyed dozens terror targets in northern Iraq and Syria, with many terrorists neutralized after 12 Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Iraq since Friday by PKK terrorists.

The airstrikes were carried out to "eliminate terrorist attacks against Türkiye and its security forces from northern Iraq and Syria by neutralizing members of the PKK terror group and other terrorist elements and to ensure border security in line with the legitimate self-defense rights arising from Article 51 of the UN Charter," the ministry said.

Guler congratulated the pilots who took part in the operation, carrying out, along with senior commanders of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Following the attack by PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Türkiye reaffirmed its determination to fight and eliminate terrorism at its source.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Saturday that Türkiye would prevent the emergence of a "terrorist structure" in northern Iraq and Syria "whatever the cost."

PKK terrorists often hide in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye. It also has a Syrian branch, known as the YPG.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.