Germany warns of violent escalation after Turkish ops in Syria, Iraq

Ankara: German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her solidarity solidarity with Turkey in the latter’s fight against terrorism, but stressing that it “must be carried out in accordance with the laws of state”.

The Minister made the remarks at a press conference with her Turkish counterpart Suleyman Soylu on the second day of her two-day visit to Ankara, reports Xinhua news agency.

“It is necessary to take into account the protection of civilians and we believe that it is necessary to be careful, especially in terms of preventing violence from escalating,” she added, referring to Turkey’s recent cross-border military operations in Syria and Iraq.

In response to Faeser’s statements, Soylu defended Turkey’s operations in Syria and Iraq.

“They (terrorists) want to establish a terror state around us. We cannot allow that. It is our duty to protect our borders and our nation,” he said.

The Turkish Minister said his country wants the terrorist groups around the country to be considered in the same way that Europe handled terrorist strikes on its own soil.

On Sunday, Turkey carried out aerial operations against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Iraq.

Ankara sees the YPG as the Syrian branch of the PKK.

The airstrikes were launched after a bomb explosion killed at least six people and wounded another 81 in a busy street of Istanbul on November 13.

After the explosion, Turkish police said they had detained a Syrian woman named Ahlam Albashir, who admitted to taking orders from the YPG.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the European Union, has rebelled against the Ankara government for over three decades.IANS