ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Saturday that the anti-terror operation in the country was not over.
“The operations will continue for as long as threats against Turkey continue,” Davutoglu said in a press conference held in Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, before leaving for Istanbul where he is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Those who threaten [Turkey] will face the response,” he added.
Davutoglu’s comments came as Turkey has launched air attacks against Daesh and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which listed as a terror organization by the U.S., the EU and Turkey.
On Friday night and in the early hours of Saturday, Turkish air forces bombed for the first time in last two-and-a-half years PKK camps in northern Iraq. Turkey also launched attacks against Daesh.
Separately, Turkish police have detained a total of 590 people, including at least 37 foreigners, suspected of having ties with terrorist groups across Turkey, said the prime minister.
Davutoglu said that 302 people had been detained on Friday and 288 others on Saturday.
The airstrikes and the nationwide anti-terror operation come after 32 people were killed in the southeastern Turkish province of Sanliurfa on Monday in a Daesh-suspected suicide attack. Following the attack, four Turkish police officers were killed in various attacks; the PKK claimed responsibility for at least one of the attacks.
Davutoglu warned that Turkey would punish every unlawful action that harms the public order in the country.
The Turkish PM said that on Saturday morning he had spoken over the phone with the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Massoud Barzani. “I had the opportunity to communicate the objectives and framework of the operation, especially in northern Iraq,” Davutoglu said, adding that Barzani told him that Turkey’s anti-PKK and Daesh operations were based on legitimate foundations.
The Turkish PM added that the Turkish parliament would likely gather on Wednesday, following a Republican People’s Party (CHP) request, to discuss the latest operation against the PKK and Daesh.
