Iraq expresses dismay at Turkish incursion into northern Iraq
ANKARA, April 26 (KUNA) — An incursion into northern Iraq by military units of the Turkish Special Forces was reported Wednesday by a Turkish daily.
“The operation was aimed at chasing Kurdish secessionist armed elements near the Turkish border,” the paper said.
“Turkish forces were reported several kilometers deep into Iraqi territory as they were chasing Kurdish gunmen in neighboring Kurdish villages,” the paper said.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zibari expressed dismay about the incursion and summoned Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Unal Cevikoz and asked him to convey to Ankara “Iraq’s wish that such incusions be halted.” Meanwhile, Iraqi Ambassador in Ankara Sabah Omran on Wednesday paid a visit to Turkish Special Representative in Iraq Oguz Celikkols at his office in Ankara and urged him to put a stop to the Turkish incursions because they could “upset law and order in the entire Iraqi territories.” Celikkols is due to convey this wish to the Ankara government.
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Ten minutes to midnight
The armies of Turkey and Iran are getting ready for showdown with the PKK. About 230,000 Turkish soldiers have been massing along the border with southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) since April 2. The Iranians, in coordination with the Turks, have massed along “their” border with southern Kurdistan with about 30,000-50,000 soldiers according to Kurdish non-media sources close to HPG.
Turkish and Iranian incursions into southern Kurdistan have already occurred, and one Turkish battalion has already positioned itself within the borders of southern Kurdistan. Turkish forces crossed the border in two occasions on week 15. Incursions occurred at the Sirnak-Zaxo and the Esendere (Shemzinan [Semdinli])-Barzan borders, the HPG Press and Liaison Center (HPG-BIM) reported on April 13.
On April 23, one Turkish battalion moved and positioned itself inside southern Kurdistan close to Shemzinan (Semdinli). HPG identified it as a preparation and scout unit. Some sources call the battalion an “expendable bait” in order to easily justify a full-scale invasion if attacked. The battalion are currently under supervision by HPG scouts and special forces.
All Turkish gendarmerie bases in the Gerdiya area have been filled with soldiers from the Mountain Commando Brigades of Bolu and Kayseri. Two commando brigades, a total of 3,000 soldiers, from Bolu and Kayseri have been sent to the area. [1]
BIM also reports that a battalion of Turkish commando soldiers from the brigades has positioned itself at the zero point border in Gerdiya. The Bolu brigade is currently positioned in or around the Ikizce battalion in the Gabar mountains in the Sirnak province, with some selected soldiers positioned along the zero point.
Only a small number of the 200,000 Turkish soldiers „ the majority of them mechanized brigades, artillery units and commando forces „ have been positioned at the zero points. The leaves for all soldiers positioned in Kurdistan have been canceled for six months and current leaves have been recalled.
Iranian forces conducting military operations, in coordination with the Turkish army, in the Kelaresh area „ located between Salmas and Maku in eastern Kurdistan and which stretches into southern Kurdistan „ clashed with HPG guerrillas on the 18th day of the military operations. A HPG unit was ambushed by Iranian soldiers, triggering a fierce clash where two HPG guerrillas and six Iranian soldiers, of them one Major, were killed. BIM identified the martyred HPG guerrillas as Ersin Sefil (Memyan) of Erzurum and Cemil Yildirim (ÉzgÙr Deniz), 29, of Ankara. The clash occurred in the Kelaresh area of southern Kurdistan.
This is stating the obvious, but events are spiralling into maximum chaos.