Region | Iraq

No timetable for pullout, Turkey envoy tells Iraq

Turkey declined on Wednesday to give Baghdad a timetable for the withdrawal of troops fighting Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, resisting pressure from the United States and other allies to end the offensive quickly.

  • Reuters
  • Published: 00:39 February 28, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Turkish soldiers get ready during an operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party in an undisclosed place.
  • Image Credit: EPA

Baghdad: Turkey declined on Wednesday to give Baghdad a timetable for the withdrawal of troops fighting Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, resisting pressure from the United States and other allies to end the offensive quickly.

"Our objective is clear, our mission is clear and there is no timetable until ... those terrorist bases are eliminated," Turkish envoy Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference after talks in Baghdad with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari.

Thousands of Turkish troops crossed the border last week to root out PKK fighters. The PKK has used northern Iraq as a base for their fight for self-rule in the mainly Kurdish southeast of Turkey.

Acting Iraqi Prime Minister Barham Saleh said a prolonged Turkish operation would lead to "dire" consequences for the region and repeated Baghdad's demand that the incursion end.

'Dangerous situation'

"This would be highly destabilising, it's dangerous to the stability of Iraq and the region as a whole," Saleh, a Kurd, said on the sidelines of a conference. "This is a very dangerous, precarious situation."

Turkey's military General Staff said another 77 Kurdistan Workers Party rebels had been killed in heavy fighting since Tuesday night, taking the death toll among the rebels to 230 since the offensive began.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 3 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

Related Articles

  1. Turkish envoy arrives in Baghdad

    Senior Turkish envoy arrives in Baghdad to hold talks

  2. Turkey ignores pleas for withdrawal

    Turkey ignores appeals for a swift withdrawal

  3. Kurdish fighters seethe over US support to Turks

    Kurdish fighters seethe over US support to Turks

  4. Iraq condemns Turkish incursion

    Iraq condemns Turkish incursion

    Iraq condemns Turkish incursion and demands immediate withdrawal

More from Iraq

  1. Shiite leaders vow to purge Baath loyalists

  2. Protests in Iraq ahead of parliament session

  3. Militant video shows abducted American in Iraq

  4. Iraqi court pushed to rule on banned candidates

All articles in Iraq

More from Region

Gulf News
Popular in News
News Editor's choice