Erdogan wants to wipe out “all” Kurdish militias Erdogan wants to wipe out “all” Kurdish militias

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced further military attacks against Kurdish militias in Iraq and Syria and announced a ground offensive.

“For a few days now, we have been breathing down the terrorists’ necks with our planes, guns and armed drones. As soon as possible, God willing, we will exterminate everyone together with our tanks, soldiers and companions,” Erdogan said on Tuesday.

Since the night of Sunday, Turkey has been campaigning against the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG and the outlawed Kurdish Workers’ Party PKK with numerous airstrikes in northern Iraq and northern Syria.

Turkey has shown patience and kept all agreements, President Erdogan continued. The times when his country was “stuck” are now over. “From now on there is only one measure for us, one limit. And that is the security of our own country, our own citizens. It is our most legitimate right to go as far as where that safety begins,” where it is necessary.

Erdogan had already considered a ground offensive against Kurdish positions in Syria and Iraq on Monday. The Turkish government linked its airstrikes more than a week ago to an attack on Istanbul’s Istiklal shopping street. She sees the YPG and PKK as masterminds behind the attack, both of which rejected it.

Iran reports renewed attacks on Kurdish bases in northern Iraq

For the second day in a row, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has attacked targets in neighboring northern Iraq.

Bases of Kurdish separatist groups were attacked with airstrikes, the Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday. In recent weeks, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly bombed positions in northern Iraq.

The Revolutionary Guard is the elite unit of the armed forces in Iran and much more important than the classical army. They report directly to the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all strategic matters.

According to the regional government of the largely autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq, two areas around the capital Erbil and the province of the same name have been attacked.

Tehran accuses Kurdish groups in northern Iraq of supporting nationwide protests against Iran’s government and Islamic rule system. Thousands have taken to the streets since the death of young Kurdish Iranian Mahsa Amini in police custody in mid-September. In the Iranian-Kurdish regions in particular, the security apparatus is cracking down on demonstrators. (bal/sda/dpa)