Erdogan says military attack to Iraq, Syria not limited to air raids

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled a ground offensive to northern Iraq and northern Syria following weekend airstrikes and shelling that has targeted many areas that are controlled by Kurdish armed groups.

Speaking to reporters on his return from a trip to Qatar, Erdogan said the operations would not be limited to just an air campaign and that discussions would be held on the involvement of ground forces.

"It is not limited to just an air campaign," Erdogan was quoted by Turkish state news agency Anadolu.

"Our defense ministry and our general staff decide together how much of the land forces should take part. We make our consultations, and then we take our steps accordingly."

Erdogan’s remarks followed weekend strikes on Kurdish militant bases in northern Syria and northern Iraq on Sunday, destroying 89 targets according to Turkey's defence ministry in retaliation for a bomb attack in Istanbul that killed six people and injured more than 80 one week ago.

Ankara has blamed Kurdish militants for the blast but both the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have denied involvement.

A spokesman for the SDF said that the Turkish strikes had destroyed infrastructure including grain silos, a power station and a hospital. Eleven civilians, an SDF fighter and two guards were killed, SDF said.

Asked if Turkey informed Russia or the US, Erdogan said: "We have not had any conversations with Biden or Putin regarding this operation. However, both Biden and Putin already know that we can do such things in this region at any time."

Recalling an agreement made with Russia in Sochi in 2019 about controlling the Kobani area, Erdogan said:

"They had a responsibility to clean up the terrorists in the region. Unfortunately, despite reminding them many times over and over again, they did not do this, they cannot. We said we would take a counter step. Yesterday, within this framework, we neutralized 12 targets against the terrorists nesting in Kobani by hitting them. There is no restriction here. The continuity of this operation is in question. We have done what is necessary from the ground and from the air. We will do it from now on."