Turkish FM says US Gave Green Light to Turkish Forces
to Move Inside Southern Kurdistan
April 29, 2006
The Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet claimed yesterday
that the armed forces of Turkey occupying Northern Kurdistan, using infra-red
cameras, spotted PKK fighters crossing the border near
Cukurca, after which a special force team of around 100
soldiers proceeded to cross the border into Southern Kurdistan. The go-ahead to
send in the special forces team was reportedly given from Ankara over the
weekend. The Turkish FM Gul told Hurriyet that the recent meetings between
Turkish and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have indicated that the US
has given the nod to Turkish action on this front.
"Whatever we have been doing there year after year, that
is what we are doing now," said Gul reported Hurriyet The source added that
Turkish intelligence forces have said that PKK members crossing from Southern to
Northern Kurdistan are particularly active near Shemdinan, Cukurca, and the
Sirnak-Gabar mountain range area. Since the beginning of April, there has been
an increased presence of the occupying Turkish armed forces in these areas.
Given the nod by the Americans, this raises the question
of whether the Kurdish leaders in Hewler and Baghdad have also acquiesced to the
terrorist actions of the occupying Turkish forces.
In related subject, Gul told Hurriyet that Turkey
believes that the Kurds have set up a lasting order in Southern Kurdistan. If
Iraq can hold onto its unity, and if the Kurds can manage to work out an
agreement with the Arab factions, then all will be fine for them. But if the US
pulls out without a lasting solution in place in the region, according to Gul it
is then difficult to say that the future looks good for the Kurds. Because the
Kurds have created many enemies for themselves in the region, if the US pulls
out without securing the support of Turkey, according to Gul, Southern Kurdistan
may be facing a historic disaster.
