Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 13 / Trend /
Turkish Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin has today stated that Ankara has received Iraq's consent to start the ground operations in northern Iraq, Dogan agency reported. He said the country may launch these operations at any time.
Turkey made this decision following a series of negotiations with Iraq, he noted.
Adviser to the Turkish Foreign Minister Firuddin Sinirlioglu completed a visit to Iraq on Sept. 12. He discussed with the Iraqi officials a fight against terrorism in the region, particularly, ways to eliminate the terrorist PKK in the region.
Air strikes were conducted after the militants' terror attack in southeastern Turkey on Aug. 17, in which nine Turkish servicemen were killed.
These were Turkey's first attacks on northern Iraq in over a year.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has lasted for over 25 years, claiming over 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by both the UN and the EU.
PKK militants previously threatened Turkish authorities with intensified armed conflict if concrete steps were not taken to address the long-term Kurdish problem.