Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced plans to establish a military base in northern Iraq, similar to that in northern Syria.
Ankara will establish the base in the Metina area in the northern Iraqi region of Dohuk to block the movement of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters there, Soylu told members of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s executive board on Friday.
“The operations in northern Iraq will continue. Metina region is an important strategic place. Just like we did in Syria, we will establish bases and control the area,” Soylu stressed.
“This region is a route to Qandil mountains and we will control this route,” he added, referring to PKK hideouts in the Kurdistan Region’s mountains.
Last week, the Turkish army launched a new ground and air offensive against outlawed Kurdish militants’ bases in northern Iraq.
Commando forces landed in the Metina region from helicopters while warplanes dropped bombs on PKK targets.
Turkey considers the PKK as a terror group. The Turkish army regularly conducts cross-border operations and air raids against PKK bases in northern Iraq.
