Turkey said on Tuesday, September 13, that its military may launch a ground offensive against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq at any time in accordance with ongoing talks with Iraqi Kurdish officials as part of cooperation against the PKK.

According to Today's Zaman, Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin said in response to questions from reporters as to whether Turkey is pondering a ground operation in northern Iraq that talks with the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq are still under way and that a cross-border ground offensive could be launched at any time just like aerial strikes.

In August, the Turkish military launched aerial attacks on PKK targets in northern Iraq, killing up to 160 rebels.

Last week, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu traveled to Iraq and discussed the issue with Iraqi Kurdish officials.

Last Thursday, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli called on the government to authorize a ground offensive against PKK targets in northern Iraq before winter, saying “no stone should be left unturned” in the Kandil Mountains where the PKK has bases.

A security summit was also held at the Prime Ministry on Monday before Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan left the country for a visit to Egypt.