Turkish cabinet approved military operation in Iraq

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey's cabinet has voted to allow the army to enter Iraq in pursuit of Kurdish rebels, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced. He gave no indication as to whether the decision meant that a military operation was now imminent. Mr Erdogan says Turkey needs to be able to respond to a recent rise in bomb attacks blamed on PKK rebels from Iraq.



In October, the Turkish parliament voted overwhelmingly to allow military operations to go ahead.



Speaking on Turkish television, Mr Erdogan said "Turkish armed forces are now authorized for a cross-border operation." His cabinet had approved the decision in a meeting on November 28, he said.



Turkey has amassed some 100,000 troops on its border with Iraq since October 17 when Turkish MPs voted by 507 votes to 19 in favor of military action.



Leaflets promising amnesty to PKK break offs were thrown about by helicopters the mountains where the Kurdish rebels presumably settle.





U.S. President George W Bush held emergency talks with Mr Erdogan in early November in an attempt to avert a large-scale Turkish incursion into Iraq.



At the meeting, President Bush offered to share intelligence about the PKK with the Turkish government and pledged to put pressure on the autonomous government in Northern Iraq to crack down on the rebels.



Kurdish rebels have killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and civilians in the past few month.



The PKK - which is treated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and U.S. - has waged a violent campaign for Kurdish autonomy since 1984, resulting in more than 30,000 deaths, BBC reports.
 Top stories
Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive.
In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million).
The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot".
The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.
Partner news
---