Turkey’s military will continue operations against outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in areas where the group is active until it is certain all threats have been eliminated, the defense ministry said Thursday, following the PKK’s recent announcement of its disbanding.
“The Turkish Armed Forces will continue to operate in regions used by the separatist PKK terrorist organization until it is certain the area is cleared and no longer poses a threat to Turkey,” a ministry spokesperson said during a press briefing.
Operations will include “land search and scan activities and the detection and destruction of caves, shelters, mines and improvised explosive devices,” the spokesperson added.
The statement came three days after the PKK declared it was disbanding and ending its decades-long insurgency, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives since the 1980s. However, according to a ministry source, the declaration has not changed Turkey’s operational stance.
“Although the terrorist organization has decided to disband, we need to be cautious of provocations by those within the PKK who are unhappy with the decision,” the source said.
He noted that if the disbanding is properly implemented, military efforts would shift toward “clearing” areas without conducting new operations, aiming to prevent the areas from being used again by terrorist groups.
Focus on Iraq and Syria
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, maintains rear bases in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. Turkey operates military bases in the region and frequently carries out air and ground operations against PKK fighters there.
The group is also active in northern Syria, where Turkey has conducted several military incursions since 2016 to push Kurdish militants away from its border.
The source said Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) would establish a mechanism to monitor the PKK’s laying down of its arms in coordination with local authorities in Iraq and Syria.
“It is not possible for the Turkish Armed Forces to carry out this mission since it involves other countries,” the source said. “We will provide support if needed. We have bases there. Our presence in Iraq and Syria will continue until we are confident about the security situation.”
No third-party involvement
The source ruled out any international involvement in the process of laying down arms.
“There will definitely be no UN or third parties involved. The problems in our region should be resolved by the regional countries,” he said.
According to Turkish media reports, Turkish intelligence officers will oversee the weapons handover at designated locations in Turkey, Syria and Iraq. The arms and the identities of the fighters are expected to be registered in coordination with the Syrian and Iraqi authorities.
“Our intelligence service will closely follow the process to ensure that promises are kept,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
© Agence France-Presse