Turkish military operation in Iraq to conclude soon: Erdogan
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In April 2022, Turkey launched a military operation in northern Iraq claiming that Kurdish separatists were conducting attacks against Turkey.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech at a graduation ceremony of 181 officers, July 13, 2024 (@RTErdogan)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced that Turkey's military operation against Kurdish PKK fighters in northern Iraq and Syria is nearing its conclusion.
"We will very soon complete the lockdown of the area of operation in northern Iraq," Erdogan told young military academy graduates at a ceremony.
Kurdish forces are now "incapable of acting inside our borders," he added.
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) had been "completely trapped" in both Iraq and Syria, and Turkish forces were "all over them," he further noted.
"We will complete the missing points of the security belt along our southern border with Syria."
Read more: Turkey says will use force to prevent 'arms deliveries to PKK'
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK began in 1984 and saw a resurgence in 2015. The PKK's proclaimed objective is to establish an independent Kurdish state, which would include parts of Turkey.
Since 2016, Ankara has conducted a series of ground operations aimed at driving Kurdish forces out of the border regions in northern Syria.
the operation named Claw-Lock by Turkey was launched in 2022 with the proclaimed aim of fortifying its border with northern Iraq after claiming that Kurdish separatists were conducting attacks against Turkey from there.
This created severe friction with Syria and Iraq, particularly due to the invasive and illegal nature of the operation. However, Erdogan recently announced plans to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Ankara in effort to restore diplomatic ties.
Read more: Turkey to invite Syrian President al-Assad 'at any moment': Erdogan
Syria’s Foreign Ministry Sets Conditions for Normalization with Turkey
Earlier today, Syria's Foreign Ministry issued a statement outlining the key conditions for any potential normalization of relations with Turkey.
The statement said that the process must focus on restoring the pre-2011 status in Syria, based on mutual respect, and addressing shared security threats.
In its statement, the Syrian government made it clear that any normalization efforts with Turkey should aim to return to the situation as it was before the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that this initiative should not be viewed as mere media rhetoric but as a serious, fact-based endeavor grounded in mutual respect for each nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Read more: Preliminary agreement to host Syria-Turkey meeting reached: Iraqi FM
A central condition for successful normalization, according to the statement, is the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syrian territories.
The Syrian government insists that this step is crucial for achieving genuine normalization between the two countries.
The statement further highlighted the importance of joint efforts to combat terrorist groups that pose threats to both Syria and Turkey, noting that addressing these security challenges is a shared responsibility.
Syria's Foreign Ministry also expressed gratitude to the "brotherly parties" who have assisted in facilitating the discussions and efforts toward normalization between Syria and Turkey.
