Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has reported that at least 184 people have been killed or injured over two days as part of the «Claw-Sword» operation against Kurdish groups blamed by the Turkish government for the bomb attack in Istanbul that left at least six dead and 81 wounded.
Akar has detailed that «since the beginning of the operation (…), 184 terrorists have been neutralized by ground fire support vehicles or aircraft».
«We expect this number to increase further. Our fight will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized,» the minister said, according to a government statement.
The chief of the Turkish Army General Staff has assured that «now is the time for accountability» for the attacks committed recently. «They will pay for it. We will continue to demand accountability for the blood of our martyrs and citizens,» he added.
Thus, Akar has stated that «all known targets (of the alleged terrorists) have been attacked with fire support vehicles of the Ground Forces Command and aircraft of the Air Forces Command.»
The Turkish Defense Ministry announced late last Saturday the start of the operation «Claw-Sword» in northern Iraq and Syria against the Kurdish groups that Ankara has blamed for last Sunday’s explosion on Istiklal Avenue, which left at least six dead and 81 wounded.
«It is time to settle accounts,» the Ministry sentenced in the statement announcing the operation and justifying the bombings «in accordance with the right of self-defense arising from Article 51 of the UN Charter,» the official Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.
US URGES DE-escalation The United States has reacted to the attacks by the Turkish Army and Kurdish militias by urging de-escalation of violence in northern Syria and Iraq, as well as in southern Turkey.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price has, in turn, expressed his «deepest condolences for the loss of civilian lives in Syria and Turkey», following the launch of the Turkish operation «Garra-Espada» against Kurdish groups blamed by Turkey for the Istanbul bombing.
«We urge de-escalation in Syria to protect civilian life and support the common goal of defeating ISIS,» Price said, before assuring that the Biden Administration remains «opposed to any uncoordinated military action in Iraq that violates the sovereignty» of the country.
RUSSIA CALLS FOR MODERATION FROM TURKISH PARTNERS The Russian president’s special representative for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, called Tuesday for restraint from his Turkish partners to avoid an escalation of tension in Syria.
«Of course, we will ask our Turkish colleagues for some restraint to avoid an escalation of tension, and an escalation of tension not only in the north, but on the whole territory of Syria,» Lavrentiev explained.
«We believe that working with all interested parties should continue and try to find a correct solution, including on the so-called Kurdish problem,» he added in statements to journalists picked up by the Russian TASS agency.
In this line, the head of the Russian delegation has assured that the Russian side has done everything possible to prevent the Turkish operation «Claw-Sword».
Thus, he said that Moscow hopes that it will be possible to convince the Turkish partners to refrain from excessive use of force on the Syrian territory.
