Turkey has no designs on the another country's land, but instead only wants to ensure the security of its borders and stability of its neighbors, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.
Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the Justice and Development (AK) Party, Erdogan said that Turkey's new anti-terror operation across the border into northern Iraq, Operation Claw-Lock, aims to “rid Iraqi lands of terrorists and guarantee the security of our borders.”
“The Turkish Armed Forces launched this operation to clear the areas occupied in northern Iraq from terrorists,” said Erdogan, adding that the area has been used by PKK terrorists to prepare and organize terror attacks on Turkish soil.
“We are making every effort to contribute to the strengthening of their territorial integrity and political unity so that our neighbors can live in security and peace,” the Turkish leader said.
