Akar: “Necessary response is given immediately and in abundance”

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey immediately responds to attacks targeting its armed forces in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria in abundance.

“Of course, we face harassments and attacks from time to time, but the necessary response is given immediately and in abundance. Necessary measures are being taken," Akar said in response to a question over a recent rocket attack hitting a Turkish military base near Mosul in Northern Iraq.

On Wednesday, two rockets landed inside and several others hit the vicinity of the Turkish Zilkan base near Mosul without resulting in any casualties, Erbil-based Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) said. The Islamic Resistance Ahrar al-Iraq Brigade, an Iran-backed armed faction, claimed responsibility for the attack through its telegram channels, saying they had fired 20 rockets at the military base, threatening to expand their operations into Turkish land, Rudaw reported.

Akar said Turkey’s fight against terrorism continues at an increasing pace with an offensive spirit, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Turkey has been conducting aerial attacks into Northern Syria and Iraq since November, targeting Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) which forms the backbone of the US-backed SDF. Ankara also threatens a land operation into the region to combat Kurdish militants.