Iran coy on support for Turkish assault on PKK in Iraq
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s offensive appears linked to Turkish elections and Iraqi politics; Is Turkey staying or going in northern Syria? Putin and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri discuss Syrian refugees.
Erdogan calls on "friends" for waging attack on Qandil
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is banking on Iran’s support for a Turkish offensive against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) bases in the Qandil Mountain range bordering Iran and Iraq, although questions remain about the scope of the operation and the extent of Iranian backing.
Erdogan said that he has discussed the offensive with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and that they agreed on the need to maintain regional security. Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said Turkey had offered to carry out the operation jointly with Iran.
The Turkish offensive against the PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan, the third in the past two years, appears linked to both Turkish elections June 24 and the formation of the next Iraqi government. Erdogan said June 15, “We have eliminated the terror corridor in northern Syria. Now we are bombing Qandil. We say to those who claim to be our friend: If you are our friend, take care of it. If you don’t do it, we’ll do it. We will have some other good news for you in a few days.”
