ANKARA
Turkey has carried out “the largest, most comprehensive and maximally effective air operation” in Iraq and Syria against terrorists, the country’s defense minister said on Tuesday.
“Operation Claw-Sword, introduced on November 19 in the northern regions of Iraq and Syria, was the largest, most comprehensive and effective air operation against the terrorist organization in recent times,” Hulusi Akar said in his speech to parliament in the capital, Ankara. .
Türkiye on Sunday morning introduced Operation Claw-Sword, a cross-border air crusade opposed to the YPG/PKK terrorist organization that has illegal hideouts on the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they are planning attacks on Turkish soil.
Akar said the operation was only aimed at terrorists. “With the operation, the terrorists’ lairs were destroyed and a major blow was dealt to traitors who were targeting the security of our country and our nation,” he added.
“For us, there is no ethnic or sectarian discrimination between terrorism and terrorists. Our only target is terrorists. Where the terrorist is, there is our target,” he said.
Turkey regards the PKK and YPG as the same terrorist teams and has called on countries, especially the United States, to cut off everything from terrorists, Akar reiterated.
Since July 24, 2015, a total of 36,854 terrorists have been neutralized in Turkey, northern Iraq and northern Syria, adding up to 3,585 neutralized since the beginning of 2022, he said.
The Türkiye air operation followed the November 13 terror attack on Istanbul’s busy Istiklal Avenue that killed another six people and injured 81.
During its terrorist crusade of more than 35 years against Turkey, the PKK -indexed as a terrorist organization through Turkey, USA. and the EU – has been guilty of the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, young people and babies. YPG is the Syrian branch of the terrorist group.
Turkey will allow any fait accompli in the Eastern Mediterranean
Akar said Greece continues to collaborate with terrorist groups, adding that it provides them with all kinds of material in the Lavrion camp.
The Lavrion camp near Athens, once a refugee camp, has long been controlled by the PKK terrorist and has a terrorist education camp.
Separately, Akar said Greece pushes illegal migrants to Turkey with “extremely ruthless and inhumane practices. “
“We have sincerely expressed that we are in a position to meet with them and solve the disorders through dialogue,” he stressed.
Addressing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Akar said Türkiye would continue to defend the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Although we are open to dialogue, we allow and will allow any fait accompli in Cyprus, the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean,” he added.
NATO nominations from Sweden and Finland
As for NATO’s Nordic candidacies, Akar Turkey supports NATO’s open-door policy.
“We oppose the NATO club of Sweden and Finland. However, we expect them to respect the commitments they signed on June 28 in Madrid,” he added.
Ankara hopes they will cut ties with terrorists and end their support, he said.
Finland and Sweden joined the NATO club in May in reaction to Russia’s war on Ukraine, but have faced opposition from Turkey, which accuses them of supporting terrorist teams such as the PKK.
In June, the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum with Turkey for cooperation in the latter’s fight against terrorism. Ankara says it will give its club the green light if it addresses its concerns.