By KUNA
Irbil : Turkey has deployed thousands of soldiers along its mountain borders with Iraq, said Iraqi Kurdish officials on Friday.
In a press statement, spokesman for Kurdistan military (Peshmerga) said Turkey has intensified its military presence through deploying armored vehicles, adding that Turkish warplanes had targeted a number of Kurdish areas for a few hours on Thursday, but no human casualties were reported.
On Thursday, spokesman for Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Ahmad Banz said Turkish artillery opened fire against the Qalirach area, north of Irbil and near the border with Turkey which has issued a statement denying such an attack.
On his part, head of Iraq’s Kurdistan Presidency Divan (court) Dr. Fuad Husain said the situation was concerning since Turkish forces are planning to come out from barracks located in Duhuk.
The barracks include 1,000 Turkish soldiers with at least 60 vehicles which were placed inside Iraq’s Kurdistan in accordance with a deal signed in 1997. The accord stipulated that these forces have no right to take part in military action.
He said Peshmerga have encircled the area to stop the forces from coming out.
This development came a few hours after Turkish artillery had shelled a number of Iraqi Kurdish towns but no casualties were reported.
On the other hand, Turkey vowed today to continue military action against PKK elements in northern Iraq.
In a press release broadcast by Turkish media, National Security Council said its army would continue cross-border operations as long as they are deemed necessary.
The council also discussed all military steps taken so far to preserve security throughout the nation.
Turkish media affirmed that military presence was intensified and boosted along the border with Iraq and has so far launched a number of offensives.
In October 2007, Turkish parliament approved executing military operations against PKK rebels in northern Iraq. Since 1984, Turkish Kurds have taken part in a number of violent episodes in their quest for autonomy and self-governance.