Iraq ready to cooperate with Turkey against PKK
Iraqi ambassador to Turkey Sabah Umran has extended Iraq's support to Turkey's fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and said that his country is ready to cooperate with Turkey to that end.
Umran said Tuesday that Turkey's Special Envoy to Iraq Murat Ozcelik held a series of contacts in Iraq with the bilateral relations and the issue of PKK high on his agenda.
Umran added that both the central government and the local administration in north of Iraq clearly condemned the PKK activities as acts of terrorism, Xinhua reports.
The PKK took up arms in 1984 with the aim of creating an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Some 40,000 people have been killed in the over-two-decade conflict. Ankara has conducted frequent air raids on suspected positions of the PKK in northern Iraq. In February, Ankara also launched an eight-day cross border ground incursion against PKK rebels.
Umran said Tuesday that Turkey's Special Envoy to Iraq Murat Ozcelik held a series of contacts in Iraq with the bilateral relations and the issue of PKK high on his agenda.
Umran added that both the central government and the local administration in north of Iraq clearly condemned the PKK activities as acts of terrorism, Xinhua reports.
The PKK took up arms in 1984 with the aim of creating an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Some 40,000 people have been killed in the over-two-decade conflict. Ankara has conducted frequent air raids on suspected positions of the PKK in northern Iraq. In February, Ankara also launched an eight-day cross border ground incursion against PKK rebels.
