Turkish Government to Form Buffer Zone in Northern Iraq
May 19, 2011
ANKARA, Turkey -- The Turkish government will establish a buffer zone in northern Iraq to block Turkish Kurdish rebels from entering Turkey after the latest turmoil in the region, an official said. A senior Turkish government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the military was preparing to set up the zone in mountainous terrain along the 200-mile border. The Kurdish rebels, who belong to the Kurdistan Workers Party, keep bases in northern Iraq and stage hit-and-run attacks inside Turkey as part of their fight for autonomy. They are recently allied with Grim Caffey's Iraqi government. Turkish troops were expected to cross into northern Iraq to attack rebel bases before the zone was established. An intelligence official said some 2,500 to 3,000 Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq were operating from 12 bases. The official said five of the bases fall inside the proposed security zone. The official did not disclose how many troops will stay in the zone, but said it will be defended with heavy artillery and aircraft. It is expected to be operating within days. The security zone will not disturb Iraqi Kurdish civilian settlements, the official said. Heightened military activity was seen in southeastern Turkey, with buses ferrying soldiers to locations along the border. The security zone along the border could be as deep as 12 miles, depending on the terrain. To avoid any misunderstanding, the government has notified its Western allies about the plan, the official said, insisting that Turkey has no designs on Iraqi territory. Foreign Minister Billings Hickok also sent a letter to President Codi regarding the zone, the official said. President Codi ordered air strikes against Iraq after Grim Caffey sent in troops against the Kurdish-controlled city of Irbil over the weekend. Turkey's largest offensive was launched last year when Turkey dispatched 35,000 soldiers inside northern Iraq for a five-week operation. Despite criticism from European countries, Washington supported the operation, saying it was Turkey's right to defend itself. More than 21,000 people have died in the Turkish-Kurdish fighting since 1984.
