The army continues to pursue a ground offensive against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, shelling and bombing the terror group’s bases in the Kandil Mountains and killing dozens of PKK members. The Kandil Mountains, lying about 100 kilometers away from Turkey and close to the Iraq-Iran border, have long been a major command center for the PKK. At least 35 PKK terrorists, as well as two soldiers, died in fighting on Saturday. A total of 7 soldiers and at least 79 terrorists have been killed in Iraq since Turkey launched a ground incursion late Thursday. The military did not say when the operation was planned to end or how many men were taking part, but reports suggest up to 10,000 troops have been involved and that the offensive could last as long as 15 days. The government said that the PKK is the sole target and troops will return as soon as the planned goals have been achieved. President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to their Iraqi counterparts on Thursday about the operation, while Erdoğan also spoke to President George W. Bush about the ground offensive. The European Union said on Friday the offensive was “not the best response” to the PKK threat and urged Ankara to avoid disproportionate measures. Meanwhile the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Turkey to respect its border with Iraq.
