Turkish Defense Ministry reports attacks on militant bases in Syria and Iraq
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Turkish aircraft attacked the bases of Kurdish militants in northern Syria and Iraq, transmits Reuters, citing a statement by the Turkish Defense Ministry. Turkey has attacked bases of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which the republic says is a wing of the PKK.
“Shelter belonging to the terrorists, caves, tunnels, warehouses have been successfully destroyed. Pinpoint strikes were inflicted on the so-called headquarters of a terrorist organization,” said Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in a video message shown by TRT (TASS quote).
Ankara said earlier this week that Turkey intends to pursue targets in northern Syria after the completion of a cross-border operation against PKK militants in Iraq, which was preceded by a terrorist attack in Istanbul. The Turkish government said Kurdish militants were behind the explosion in the city center that killed six people on November 13. Responsibility for the attack, according to Reuters, was not claimed by any group, and the PKK denied any involvement. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported on the evening of November 19 that Turkish aircraft had shelled two villages in northern Syria, the agency adds.
On November 14, Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu was informed of the arrest of a suspected terrorist. The Istanbul security department said that the detainee is a citizen of Syria, her name is Ahlam Albashir. She admitted to belonging to the PKK.
Ankara considers the organizer of the PKK attack, recognized as terrorist in the country, as well as affiliated with it, according to the Turkish authorities, the paramilitary organizations of the Syrian Kurds YPG and PYD, which control northern Syria along the border with Turkey. The YPG and PYD have been supported by the United States since 2015 with the supply of arms, military equipment, logistics, fighter training services and other assistance as an ally in the fight against ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia). The Turkish Interior Ministry refused to accept US condolences in connection with the attack.
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