Turkey to Increase Counter-PKK Operations
The Turkish government is currently assessing a plan to create a special ground force exclusively dedicated to fighting Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants along the country’s southeastern border with Iraq, NTV reported July 14. Members of this special unit will receive advanced training, high compensation and will operate in conflict zones in southeastern Turkey (and northern Iraq if needed) for long periods, unlike conscripted soldiers. The plan, which was reportedly proposed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting with the leader of a minor opposition party, comes shortly after outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey said the United States has cleared the airspace over northern Iraq for Turkey’s use, and said military cooperation with Turkey is more “flexible” now. Besides taking its own military measures, Turkey has been demanding cooperation from the United States against the PKK — which has increased its attacks against Turkish troops since June 1 — beyond sharing intelligence. Military cooperation between the two countries against the PKK, however, is likely to have implications on other parts of their relationship, as NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Mark Sedwill during his visit to Turkey on July 12 asked the Turkish government to extend its mission leading the Kabul Regional Command for an additional year. The United States repeated the significance of Turkey’s presence in Afghanistan, as a Muslim country that has good relations with Kabul and Islamabad, as well as various local Afghan factions, on previous occasions even though Turkey does not have combat troops there. Turkey is yet to announce its decision, but Ankara is likely to respond positively, given the interdependence between Turkey and the United States on military matters.
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