Ankara says PKK facilities in Iraq, Syria 'legitimate targets'

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has declared all infrastructure and energy points belonging to the PKK and YPG in Iraq and Syria as "legitimate targets," in response to the recent bomb attack near the Interior Ministry building in the capital Ankara.

"I recommend that third parties stay away from these facilities," Fidan warned during a joint press conference with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, in Ankara on Oct. 4.

The announcement followed the claim of responsibility by a PKK branch for the bombing, which occurred on Oct. 1. Two attackers, both confirmed as PKK members by Turkish officials, attempted to carry out a suicide bombing near the Interior Ministry's entrance. While one assailant detonated an explosive device, the other was killed in a shootout with the police.

Two police officers were slightly wounded in the attack. The suspects arrived at the scene inside a vehicle they seized from a veterinarian in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri after shooting him in the head, officials said.

"Türkiye's stance in the fight against terrorism is clear... The response of our armed forces to this attack will be very clear, and this terrorist organization will regret it very much," Fidan stated. The minister also confirmed that the attackers came from Syria.

In response to the attack, Türkiye launched an air operation into northern Iraq on the same day, "neutralizing" a large number of PKK members. New airstrikes against PKK bases in northern Iraq followed on Oct. 4, hitting 16 targets, including caves, shelters and depots.

The Turkish military uses the term "neutralize" to indicate that the terrorists either surrendered, were killed, or captured.

Fidan also addressed the broader regional context, highlighting the need for energy agreements in the eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish top diplomat argued against the prolonged wait for a political solution to the Cyprus issue, calling it a tactic to tap into the region's energy resources.

Drawing attention to the Israel-Lebanon agreement, he stressed the importance of bilateral agreements for harnessing the energy potential in the region.

"As Türkiye, our view, which is in parallel with the [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] TRNC, is that it is possible to use the energy potential that both parties will benefit from equally, without having to wait for a political solution," Fidan emphasized.