Turkey gives green light for action against Kurdish rebels in Iraq

TURKISH Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan gave the green light yesterday for a possible military incursion into northern Iraq to crush Kurdish rebels hiding there after several deadly attacks on Turkish security forces.

Mr Erdogan is under pressure from Turkey’s powerful armed forces and opposition parties to take tough action against rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) after they shot dead 13 soldiers on Sunday near the Iraqi border.

Iraq’s government said a recent security accord with Turkey was the best way for dealing with PKK attacks. The White House said it was committed to working with both Nato ally Turkey and Iraq to combat the PKK.

Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul said Turkey’s parliament would need to authorise any large-scale military operation — a scenario most analysts say remains unlikely — but he said such permission was not required for limited, “hot pursuit” raids.

Washington has urged Turkey not to take military action in mainly Kurdish northern Iraq, fearing it could destabilise the most peaceful region of that country and indeed the wider region.

“To put an end to the terrorist organisation operating in the neighbouring country [Iraq], the order has been given to take every kind of measure, legal, economic, political, including also a cross-border operation if necessary,” Mr Erdogan’s office said.

“Orders have been given to all relevant institutions to continue to wage a decisive struggle against terrorism and the terrorists.”

Although the White House said it would work with the two countries to beat the PKK, spokesman Gordon Johndroe would not comment specifically on whether the White House would support any Turkish incursion.

Turkey’s large-scale incursions in 1995 and 1997, involving an estimated 35,000 and 50,000 troops respectively, failed to dislodge PKK rebels from the mountains.