These sentences mean the following; Due to our old concept of national security, we were fighting with the PKK and similar terrorist organizations in our country, but one of the important changes made after the July 15  coup attempt; In accordance with the "National Security Concept Against External Threats" change, now we apply the concept of detecting the threat at its source and neutralizing it beyond our borders.

In his article written in 2015, the president of ASSAM, retired General Adnan Tanrıverdi, stated that the PKK is an external threat to Turkey and explained in detail what to do in this article, which I gave the link below (1). I think the most important and the biggest damage to the PKK is to identify the terror at its source and destroy its nests.

As a matter of fact, the Operation Gare was carried out for this purpose and the terrorists were devastated in their safest caves.

The location called Gare is 35 kilometers south of Çukurca district of Hakkari. The Gare region served as a corridor for the PKK and was Turkey's gateway to Sinjar and Mosul. Because it was mountainous terrain between the YPG region in Syria and the camps in Iraq, it provided easy transition to the PKK.

Our President continues his speech he said: "Gare was an important and troubled area and Gare fell, with the permission of Allah, the job is finished. In the coming period, we will expand our operations, in which we have made significant progress, to regions where threats are still intense. We will stay in areas as long as we need to, in order to avoid similar attacks again."

Again, the sentences to be underlined in this speech; It is our will to expand our operations to regions where threats are intense and remain in that area until it turns to be safe for us. There is no other way to get rid of the PKK terrorist organization.

General Tanrıverdi covered this issue in detail in his article dated 2015.

It is necessary to draw attention to another very important issue, which is the necessity of establishing our very strong and national intelligence resources in the region. As long as our intelligence resources and warfare weapon vehicles are not domestic and national, the desired success will be very difficult and prolonged. Thankfully; Our intelligence has proven to be domestic and national and extremely successful in operations in the northern regions of Syria and Iraq for the last 3 or 4 years.

Ministry of National Defense Hulusi Akar, who gave information about Operation Claw Eagle-2 in Gare region in the north of Iraq at the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly; In the north of Iraq; Stating that operations were carried out in order to destroy the fortified positions and shelter areas of the terrorist organization beyond the border, to ensure border security in the future and to neutralize the maximum terrorist, he said that the operations with the Claw-Tiger series operations launched in northern Iraq in May 2019 are continuing as planned.

Minister of Defense Akar said: "As a result of these operations, certain areas, directions and places have been largely cleared of terrorists, cleansed, and thus the mobility of terrorists is restricted. Thus, it was reported that the organization, whose freedom of movement was restricted, started to gather in Gare. However, due to the location and the terrain, the mountain ranges and the difficulty of reaching here, operations have not been carried out in Gare in various ways. For this reason, it is also among the information that we have received that most of the terrorists in this region somehow chose Gare as the so-called safe zone and focused on the PKK, and started to use this area as the so-called school, training center and meeting area. This operation was carried out at a depth of 35 kilometers without ground support and this is why the operation was critical and important. It is extremely different from other operations in terms of quality rather than quantity, since it is an operation carried out without any contact and support from the ground. A wide preparation process has been experienced within the confidentiality measures required for the operation, within this framework; Detailed mapping has been made for the area to be operated. Needs of force have been determined and detailed studies have been carried out towards the targets. Before the operation in coordination with our friends and allies; the targets were carefully selected, and utmost care and attention were paid to the protection of the life and property of the civilians and the environment in the planning and execution of the operation.”

Minister Akar stated that detailed planning and coordination between the land and air forces, land aviation elements and special forces were made before the operation.

As a result of these studies, in line with the legitimate defense rights (2) arising from international law on February 10 at 02.55; Reminding that the operation started in the region with the support of Air Force planes and UAVs / AUAVs, Minister Akar made the following evaluations:

"Our operation area can be said as a rectangle with a diameter of 75 kilometers by 25 kilometers. Of the more than 50 planned targets, 48 were hit. Other targets have been canceled for security reasons, both our own factors and the environment. With the air attack operation at 05.45 after the targets were hit; helicopters and special force elements started to be deployed to their target areas, and thus, the necessary implementation was carried out to prevent entry and exit to/from the region and to control the appropriate land areas.

Minister Akar stated that in the area where many caves are located, the cave is concentrated and that the cave entrances are fortified with iron gates. Showing the photo of the cave entrance, Minister Akar stated: "This photo is important in terms of seeing the quality of the land. It is not possible to affect here in any way with air elements, neither aircrafts nor AUAVs. We have to conduct a land operation here. In other words, it is not possible for the bomb of our Air Force to reach here in any way, in terms of responding to some statements, because of its geometric structure. Stating that after the necessary discovery and research, the other two gates of the cave were also found, Minister Akar said: "Security measures were taken and the gates were tried to be destroyed. Meanwhile, there have been firing from inside; hand grenades were thrown, our special forces elements were responding to them. In addition, only tear gas was used at the entrance of the cave against hand grenades and light weapons. Apart from this, it is out of question that using any weapon and ammunition. During this time; The terrorists were constantly called upon to surrender. They were constantly reminded that what they did was wrong, they had no way out, so they had to surrender. Later, it was seen that there were very narrow passages and additional iron bars while advancing through the cave. As these were initially unknown, progress has been very difficult. At the end of these long-lasting works, Osman Acer, code named Şervan Korkmaz, the first terrorist, went out and was taken over, saying 'do not shoot, I want to surrender'. By the first terrorist who was taken over, there were 7 terrorists inside and 13 people, 12 of whom were Turkish citizens and 1 foreigner, who were detained; At the beginning of the air raid operation by the so-called cave manager, code name Sorej, of the 13 detainees; It was stated that he was martyred with a bullet shot on their heads.

In addition to the announcements of the special force personnel who carried out an operation in the cave, Minister Akar stated that despite the calls of the first terrorist who surrendered, "They are good to me, do not be afraid, come to surrender", there was no surrender from the other terrorists, and in the morning hours of a second terrorist trying to escape from the cave. As Akar stated that he was caught by the forces.

Minister Akar shared the information that, in the statement of the second terrorist Doğan Geçgel, code named Merkaz, he repeated and confirmed that 13 detained persons were killed by being shot in the head by the terrorist code named Sorej. Stating that 51 terrorists, 4 of whom were the so-called senior executives, were captured as dead and 2 terrorists alive during the operation, Minister Akar stated that intelligence sources made evaluations that the number of terrorists neutralized was much higher and that this issue is expected to be clarified in the upcoming days. 

Minister Akar stated the following regarding the operation:
"With this operation, all the elements that settled in the region, tried to restructure and somehow were preparing to attack our borders, security forces and our people were also largely swept. The Turkish Armed Forces inflicted heavy casualties on the PKK in an area of 75 kilometers by 25 kilometers in Gare, where the terrorist organization PKK felt very safe. The terrorist organization will no longer feel comfortable here, as in the past. The Turkish Armed Forces, trained by our noble nation, will continue to fight against terrorism with determination for the security of our country and nation until the last terrorist is neutralized. The blood of any of our martyrs has not been left on the ground until today and will not be left. I wish mercy from Allah to our martyrs who lost their lives during the operation, condolences and patience to our noble nation with the Turkish Armed Forces, and urgent healing for our injured personnel.

As a result, the Turkish Armed Forces contributed to regional and global peace and stability in Syria, the north of Iraq, Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean, Karabakh and many other regions, under the leadership of our President, with the love, trust and support of our noble nation also Turkey continues its struggle with great sacrifice and heroism in order to protect the rights and the law of our friends and brothers."

So; With this operation, our army has shown to everyone that it can successfully operate in all kinds of conditions and terrain, and that there is no safe place left for the PKK and all other terrorist organizations.

Turkey is not like before.

The whole world understood very well that Turkey has proved itself. The PKK, its derivatives, DAESH and similar terrorist organizations cannot bring Turkey to its knees. On the contrary, Turkey is now a state that make games and strategic plans. Turkey is a strong and great state.

In order for terrorist activities to be finished completely, it is necessary to have no ethnic and religious materials available to traitors and separatists, and to complete the missing and breaches in these areas. After that, time will come for terrorist spokespersons. A terrorist spokesperson is no different from a terrorist. Just as torture is a crime against humanity, terrorist activity and acting as a spokesperson for terrorism is a crime against humanity. Traitors, terrorists and terror lovers should never be shown mercy.

Turkey is no longer a country to be controlled, threatened and remotely controlled.

Turkey, which has become a dominant power in its region, will continue its strategic march with perseverance and determination only in accordance with its national interests and with its national will.

Allah is the helper of believers.

Gürcan ONAT, ASSAM Vice President, February 17, 2021,  18.00. Fatih.

FOOTNOTES:

(1). https://www.assam.org.tr/index.php/bolgeler/islam-ülkeleri/ortaasya/turkiye/pkk-turkiye-icin-dis-tehdittir.html.

(2). The Turkish-Iraqi border was defined by the Ankara Treaty on June 5, 1926. Following the signing of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, close to three years of negotiations with England and the Decision of the Court of Justice of the League of Nations, articles 9, 10 and 11 of the "Second Chapter", which regulates the "Good Neighborship Relations between Turkey and Iraq" of the Treaty of Ankara, which consists of three chapters, are followed and carried out by the parties within an area of 75 kilometers on both sides of the border to guarantee the handing over of the criminals to one another. According to the treaty, the second chapter remained in force for 10 years, that is, until 1936, from the date it was signed.

On March 29, 1946, the "Treaty of Good Neighborship and Friendly Cooperation" was signed between Turkey and Iraq. Article 25 of Protocol No.6 to the Treaty, which regulates the borders between the two states, put the second chapter of the Treaty of Ankara signed in 1926 into force again. With this treaty, two states have been given the right to follow up and warn each other in 75 kilometers on both sides of the borders.

On October 15, 1984, another "Security Protocol" was signed between Turkey and Iraq. According to this protocol, it allowed Turkish troops to enter 5 kilometers of the Iraqi border without obtaining permission from the Iraqi authorities. This protocol was extended by the parties every year until 1988.

Upon Iraq's unjust invasion of Kuwait on August 02, 1990, the alignment forces formed by the USA, England and France expelled Iraq from Kuwait between January 17 and February 28, 1991. During this war, the Shiites in the south of Iraq and the Kurds in the north rebelled. As a result of the fact that the Kurds in the North turned their rotation to the Turkish borders and 500.000 people defected to Turkey, the UN Security Council took action at the request of Turkey and by resolution 688 of 05 April 1991, it was declared a “safe zone”. With this decision, it was forbidden for Iraq's military power to pass north of the 36th parallel and south of the 32nd parallel. They have taken the north of the 36th Parallel under the control of the Combined Task Force-Poised Hammer led by the USA, England and France and formed by Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Spain and Italy. With the start of the Second Gulf War, Poised Hammer, which was the enforcer of UN Security Council Resolution 688 in northern Iraq, left Turkey.

Iraq was occupied by the USA and England, who started the Second Gulf War on 20 March 2003, and the occupation continued until 15 December 2011.

The Iraqi Constitution of December 28, 2005 accepted Iraq as a Federal State, and the Kurdistan Region and its existing bodies as a federal region. The Constitution prevented the central government from introducing the Iraqi Armed Forces into the "Regional Kurdish Administration" Region. Apart from the Armed Forces, it also prevents the formation of an armed militia.