Turkey's airstrikes against IS, PKK could ‘change regional game’: PM

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey's airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could "change the regional game", the country’s Prime Minister said, according to BBC News.

Ahmet Davutoglu said there were no plans to send ground troops into Syria and that airstrikes were meant to support moderate rebels fighting IS.

On Sunday, July 26, Turkish jets again attacked PKK camps in northern Iraq.

NATO is to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the situation, at Turkey's request.

Davutoglu told a meeting of Turkish newspaper editors that, following Turkey's military action, there were now "new conditions" in the regional conflict.

"The presence of a Turkey that can use its force effectively can lead to consequences which can change the game in Syria, Iraq and the entire region; everyone should see that," the Hurriyet Daily News quoted him as saying.

He said other states now needed to "assess... and review their own position accordingly".

Davutoglu said Turkey was prepared to work with the Syrian Kurdish PYD group - which has links to the PKK - provided it did not pose a threat to Turkey and severed relations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In recent days, Turkey has also arrested hundreds of people suspected of supporting IS or the PKK.

Police raids in the city of Istanbul have triggered three days of rioting in the Gazi district. At least one activist and a policeman have been killed.