"PKK spokesman Ahmed Deniz said that Turkey is driving them toward war. "They are not honest about the Kurdish question and they don't want to tackle this problem in peaceful ways," said Deniz. He added that so far "all the steps taken by the government have all been empty steps," and made a direct reference to the so-called "initiative" proposal by the government..."
The Kurdish Globe
26 June 2010
Growing border incursions and intrusions have the Iraqi Kurdish Region on edge.
"The PKK's latest attacks on Turkish soldiers will not serve the Kurdish issue in any way, but will lead to the abortion of peace efforts to resolve this issue.''-Kurdistan Region Presidency.
Iraqi Kurdistan Region was quick to condemn the PKK's most recent attacks on Turkish soldiers. The Kurdistan Region Presidency released a statement, saying: "Once again we strongly condemn the PKK attacks, and refuse the use of the Kurdistan Region territory as a base to attack neighboring countries." The statement added: "We also reaffirm our firm belief that peaceful solutions and dialogue must be pursued to stop the bloodshed."
At the same time, the presidency demanded Turkey cease bombarding border areas inside the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as a reaction against PKK attacks, which have resulted in casualties and losses to the civilian populations of these areas.
After PKK rebels attacked a Turkish military post in the Shamdinan area in Turkey's Hakkari Province, killing 11 soldiers and wounding 16, the Turkish warplanes resumed bombing the Iraqi Kurdistan Region's border area, killing and wounding three civilians.
Sidakan Mayor Ahmed Qadra Sur told "The Kurdish Globe" that Turkish warplanes attacked the Shamrima village in Sidakan area last Saturday night, killing a teenaged girl named Zahida Muhammad, and another unidentified woman as well as a 3- year-old baby were wounded. The baby and woman currently are in a hospital in Erbil city, where the baby is in serious situation.
The people in Sidakan, northeast of Erbil and bordering Turkey and Iran, suffer regular attacks from the Iranian and Turkish neighbors who claim dissident fighters have taken shelter in Kurdistan borders. Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki openly condemned for the first time Turkey's and Iran's bombardment on Iraqi Kurdistan Region's border villages.
Maliki called on Iran and Turkey to respect Iraqi sovereignty. ''Turkey and Iran are shelling the border because they think Iraq is weak and its sovereignty is imperfect," said Maliki. "Many times we have sent letters of complaint to both of the countries, but despite that they continue to bomb our border." Maliki pointed out that the border issue can be solved through peaceful dialogue rather than through military means.
Some Iraqi MPs believe that the Iraqi government has not acted seriously to stop the Turkish and Iranian bombardments of the border villages of Kurdistan Region, which has caused casualties and colossal material damage in addition to displacing hundreds of families.
"The Iraqi government has failed to defend Iraqi sovereignty, especially after air strikes by Turkey and Iran's bombardments on the border territory villages in Kurdistan," Qutaibah al-Jabbouri, an MP on al-Iraqiya list, said. He added that Iran and Turkey took advantage of political instability and the occupation of the Iraqi political blocs with the formation of the new government to bomb the border villages.
Turkey says Iraq displaying solidarity against terrorists
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu praised Iraq's cooperation with Turkey against the PKK. "We will separate those who stand in solidarity against terrorism and those who fail to fulfil their responsibilities in this regard. But there is solidarity on the part of Iraq on this matter," Davutoğlu told reporters in a press conference in Istanbul. "We are in contact with the Iraqi central authority. We also had cross-border operations in the form of hot pursuit. Iraq has displayed solidarity in this matter, which we have a right to expect." Davutoğlu added that "the regional [Kurdish] administration also released a statement condemning the attack."
Following a bloody weekend in the country's southeast, Turkey's top officials (government and military) announced that they will restructure intelligence and military operations in an attempt to stop the growing attacks by PKK.
In a summit, the Turkish government and military agreed to review the intelligence-gathering operations and structure of the military personnel serving the country's southeast, where the PKK is very active. This decision was seen as an acknowledgement that security officials are aware of the lack of information on the moves of PKK groups, though the military and the National Intelligence Organization have denied allegations of the existence of such gaps.
In addition, the second part of the new strategy calls for intensifying coordination with neighboring countries and others related to the fight against the PKK, a change that is likely to bring more talks with Iraq and especially with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government.
PKK spokesman Ahmed Deniz said that Turkey is driving them toward war. "They are not honest about the Kurdish question and they don't want to tackle this problem in peaceful ways," said Deniz. He added that so far "all the steps taken by the government have all been empty steps," and made a direct reference to the so-called "initiative" proposal by the government.
Meanwhile, a top PKK commander told Firat News Agency (a pro-PKK news agency) that PKK guerrillas would keep fighting until its demands for greater rights and autonomy are met. Cemil Bayik, a top commander, said: "It is not possible to end this struggle unless the Kurdish problem is solved.... It is not possible to repress the guerrillas' capacity for action." Bayik added: "Our movement's...strength to launch attacks will continue as long as the Kurdish people's demands for freedoms continue to exist."
PKK ended its ceasefire recently, saying it was forced to do so. ''PKK did everything on its part for the establishment of the bilateral truce, but the Turkish government is not sincere when it comes to solving the Kurdish question,' said prominent PKK leader Murat Karayilan.
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