Turkish party leader urges cross-border operation against terrorist PKK

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A prominent Turkish party leader on Tuesday urged the government to carry out a cross-border military operation against the terrorist PKK in line with a motion allowing such moves.

"Legitimate use of [military] force will spoil their game, and whoever targets our national security and our national presence and also plots their assassination will pay the heaviest price," Devlet Bahceli told his Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) parliamentary group.

"The motion is clear, the verdict is fixed, the expectations of our sovereign nation are high, there’s no safe place for terrorist groups anymore," he added.

Turkey’s parliament on Oct. 26 ratified a motion extending authorization to launch cross-border anti-terrorist operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years.

Bahceli called for a military operation on Mt. Qandil, the terrorist PKK’s main base in northern Iraq, across Turkey’s southern border.

"Now there’s no other choice in this matter," he added.

The motion, referred to parliament by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, allows the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years, from Oct. 30, 2021, until Oct. 30, 2023.

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