The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has reacted to the claim by the former Deputy Governor of the state, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, that he has discovered 16 wards where elections will not hold.
In a press statement issued by the State APC Publicity Secretary, Mallam Yusuf Idris Gusau, the party challenged the former Deputy Governor to mention the bandits’ locations in the state.
“APC and the state government want to immensely thank the lawyer politician for this good information that will help in ensuring the disbandment of the criminals wherever they may be in our dear state.
“As has always been the plea of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle for all well meaning Zamfara State citizens to join hands with his administration in sacking all terror groups and enclaves from the state.
“We also wish to urgently implore security agencies in the state to immediately invite Barrister Mahdi, who had visited such wards, to help with more details of his findings to save the state and its good citizens.
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‘We have always been saying that members of the opposition PDP know some, if not all, of the bandits in the state; this will certainly be an opportunity for the PDP to use such knowledge positively by divulging information that will help the state.
“The PDP and the former Deputy Governor, in particular, owe it as a duty to the state to immediately give details on this matter.
“It must, however, be noted that banditry and other heinous crimes have significantly been decimated in Zamfara State and other parts of the North West through the sustained efforts of the federal and state governments,” the statement read.
No fewer than six farmers and traders have been killed by Fulani herdsmen at Arimogija and Molege communities in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo state.
Narrating the ordeal, a community leader, Mr. Owolafe Folorunsho said the recent attack was triggered by effort by farmers to repel the continued wanton destruction of their crops by the herdsmen.
According to him, the herdsmen ambushed and attacked some traders who were returning to the town from Akure and killed all the occupants of the vehicle before setting the vehicle ablaze and taking their money and belongings.
Many houses, cars and motorcycles were burnt during the attack while the families of the victims killed some cows in retariation.
“The herders have continued to invade our farmlands at night, harvest our crops to feed their Cows & in many occasions, they will come during the day, forced us to uproot the Cassava by ourselves at gunpoint, command us to cut them into pieces to feed their cows,” he said.
“In order not to take laws into our hands, we reported this act of economic sabotage to the appropriate authority who took prompt action to chase them out of the farming areas only for the Fulanis to come back and attacked us with AK-47, Pump Action, Axes & Cutlasses and killed our people at night”.
A first-class traditional ruler in the area, the Onimoru of Imoru, Oba Rotimi Obamuwagun, who confirmed the invasion and attack on the people of the communities lamented over the atrocities and criminal activities of the herdsmen in the area.
The monarch disclosed that over four hectares of cassava farmland belonging to one of his subjects were destroyed by the herdsmen, saying the farm was financed through bank loan from a commercial bank.
He stated that the herdsmen, who always armed themselves with sophisticated weapons are becoming more daring by visiting homes and dragging the farmers to the farm, ordering them to uproot cassava for their cows.
He noted that apart from their cows being fed with cassava, the armed herdsmen have also embarked on harvesting other farm products to feed themselves.
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Corroborating, Oba Obamuwagun, the Odibiado of Ijagba, Oba Andrew Ikioya Ilevare, said the bandits have now resulted in harvesting plantains and bringing them to market to sell.
The traditional rulers, however, called on the state government to draft more Amotekun officials to the area and queried the rationale behind herdsmen carrying sophisticated weapons.
Speaking on the development, the spokesperson of the state police command, Funmi Odunlami, said men of the command have been deployed to the area, assuring that the criminals would soon be arrested
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has disclosed plans to compensate herdsmen who lost livestock to cattle rustlers in the state.
The governor stated this at the festival organized by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-Cultural Association of Nigeria at the Aliyu Ndayoko Memorial Stadium, Bida, Bida Local Government Area of the state.
Gov. Bello represented by Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, revealed that six pastoralists who were victims of cattle rustling will be identified and compensated.
He explained that the six beneficiaries, two from each of the three senatorial zones, would be given 10 cattle each as compensation from the government.
According to him: “The gesture [shows] the willingness of government in providing initiatives aimed at fostering peace as well as nurture harmonious relationship among the citizenry.”
The governor also revealed that his administration has reactivated the Bobi Grazing Reserve and other reserves in the state to reduce conflicts between farmers and herders.
He noted: “The reserves, apart from being a pragmatic and sustainable solution to farmers-herders clashes, will also generate employment opportunities.”
Bello further expressed optimism that the festival would bring harmony and foster cordial relationships among people of different backgrounds.
The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar in his remarks underscored the need for peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers while calling on them to always be law-abiding citizens.
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The royal father said: “The importance of peaceful coexistence among the citizenry to the development of the society could not be over-emphasized.”
Also, the National President of Miyetti Allah, Alh. Bello Bodejo who spoke through Alh. Gidado Idris called for peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in the state, saying: “Unity of purpose would help to achieve the much-desired economic prosperity.”
The Director General, Nomadic Affairs and Conflict Resolution in the state, Ardo Abdullahi Adamu Babayo, in his speech said the Fulani cultural festival would be a turning point in the inter-ethnic relationship not only in Bida Emirate but the state at large
President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend condemned the attack on vigilantes at Yargoje forest in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina, where many lives were lost.
𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 reports that the Police Command in Katsina State had on Friday confirmed the death of 41 members of local vigilance groups, “Yansakai”, in an ambush by terrorists in Yargoje forest.
The terrorists ambushed a convoy of vigilantes in the forest as they went to recover stolen cows leading to the killings.
Reacting, Buhari paid tribute to all those vigilantes and family members who have been martyred, saying that the sacrifices of the brave men who are working to stop and punish crime in their communities will not be forgotten.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Buhari’s media aide, Garba Shehu, on Sunday.
Gunmen at about 11 pm on Thursday attacked a police facility used by Anti-Cult operatives in Obosi community, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 gathered that the men killed one police officer and burnt down a building in the formation, using petrol bomb.
The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying that a huge deployment of operatives were sent to the area immediately the command got information about the attack.
The state police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, said: “Our men were moved there immediately, and they were able to combat the gunmen, and also recovered some improvised explosive devises (IED), which have not been used.
“Our men stood their ground and were able to ward off the attackers.
“The men came in their numbers, using three vehicles. One Toyota Highlander, one Toyota Sienna and a Corolla car.
“Because of the deployment, the attackers were not able to do harm to the level that they expected. They had to flee.
“Meanwhile, we lost one police operative in the attack. He was hit by a bullet from the attackers. Also, because of the petrol bomb used by the attackers, one of the buildings in the formation was affected by fire.
“As I speak to you, there is massive police operation going on in the area now, and we are calling on members of the public to trust us with information. People should come forth with information that can help us apprehend these culprits, and we promise that every information given to us will be treated with a high level of confidentiality.”
A top Boko Haram commander, Abu Illiya, alongside 32 other insurgents have been reportedly eliminated by Troops of Operation Hadin Kai alongside members of the civilian joint task force.
The feat was said to have been achieved during an intelligence-led aggressive fighting patrol in some identified Boko Haram enclaves in Kayamari, Habasha and Yuwe villages in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, multiple intelligence sources indicated that the troops’ superior firepower forced the surviving terrorists to flee in disarray thereby abandoning their property and weapons.
The troops also recovered and destroyed 50 bicycles from the terrorists’ hideouts.
The newly appointed Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Ali shortly after taking over the command pledged to sustain efforts towards ending the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
Residents of Galkogo, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have fled their homes following the alleged killing of an unconfirmed number of Joint Security Taskforce and local vigilante members during an airstrike by an unidentified jet fighter.
𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 gathered that the incident occurred Tuesday afternoon when the fighter jet mistook the men of the State security team to be bandits and opened fire on them.
Bewildered residents of Kalgoko community said there has been no presence or threat of bandits in the community in recent times to warrant the shelling.
Two Hilux vans were said to have conveyed the bodies of the dead security personnel to Minna, the State capital at about 4:00pm. Their remains were deposited at the IBB Specialist Hospital.
Our correspondent also gathered that the leader of the taskforce, who sustained injuries, is receiving medical attention at an unknown medical facility in Minna.
The development has forced the security taskforce stationed in the community to desert the area, resulting in panic among residents of the village and environs. They equally took to their heels for fear of attacks from bandits.
However, all efforts to get a confirmation of the incident from the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Services, Hon Emmanuel and the State Police through the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun failed
He said the troops ind=formed that the victims were rescued after they responded to a distress call along the Udawa-Manini axis of the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Road.
In a similar operation, troops responded to a distress call in Gonan Doctor village, Igabi LGA and laid ambush at a likely crossing point in Maraban Huda village where they neutralized one bandit and a kidnapped victim who was injured was rescued and taken to Jaji Cantonment Hospital for treatment.
” The troops also recovered one AK47 rifle, one pump action gun, one Improvised Explosive Device, one Baofeng Radio, and 10 motorcycles.” The statement said
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has expressed regrets over the continued silence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over killings in Benue State by herders.
Ortom insisted that the Federal Government was protecting killer herders who have continued to perpetrate unprovoked killings in Benue State.
He disclosed this on Sunday in a chat with journalists shortly after he visited victims of herders’ attacks on the Abagena IDPs camp who are receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
“This has been my pain since 2015. I have cried out that the Federal Government is complicit concerning the issues of terrorism.
“One thing that pains me is that these people have never hidden their intentions, and they are known. I have written to DSS, I have written to the Police, and yet they are adamant. It is not possible that the killers are not known; they are known,” Ortom insisted.
According to the Governor, “the day that the Federal Government wants these acts of terrorism against our people to end, that will be it. But for now, they are complicit. They are working with them to push for this country’s take-over into a Fulani nation.”
A new video which surfaced on social media has revealed the identity of the man being harassed and later beheaded by a group of unknown gunmen to be that of Chris Ohizu, the Chairman of Ideato North Local Government of Imo State.
The Spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, confirmed the video now making the rounds on the internet and said the police are currently investigating the matter.
Recall with 𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 that Ohizu was attacked and kidnapped by unknown gunmen Thursday last week. It was also reported they attacked and burnt his house in Imoko town, Arondizuogu.
A source told reporters that the assailants shot Ohizu in the leg before trapping him and two others.
Two other people were killed and set on fire the same day in Imoko town of Arondizuogu district. The incident happened barely one month before the 2023 elections.
The attack comes less than a week following another attack on the Coalition of United Political Parties in Ugochinyere Imo, burning down his house and several vehicles and killing three people in his village, Akokwa also in Ideato North.
The source further alleged that the perpetrators took money worth N6m as ransom before killing him.
Recall with 𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 that such an incident happened before in the State when gunmen killed the wife of a soldier, Gloria Nneka Matthew and Linus Audu, her future husband, who came to marry her.
Those who killed them sent the message of how they were killed in May 2022 through their Whatsapp account for the public to see.
Terrorists armed with sophisticated guns on Sunday attacked the New Life For All Church in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, kidnapping at least 25 worshippers.
The Katsina State Police Command also confirmed the attack in a statement but said seven worshippers were kidnapped.
The police spokesman in the state, SP Gambo Isah noted that the terrorists attacked the church and shot one Pastor Haruna on his hand.
“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Kankara led a team of Police men to the village but before his arrival the terrorists had already escaped with the victims.
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“The injured Pastor was evacuated to General Hospital, Kankara for treatment. Efforts are on with a view of arresting the hoodlums,” he explained.
The once peaceful atmosphere that reigned in Osun State is fast fading away.
Osun has never had it so bad in the last 12 years and many residents wonder why the political class has failed to reconcile their differences.
On November 27, a new government was sworn-in. After 12 years in the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through Ademola Adeleke came to power again.
The next day, violence was recorded in the majority of the motorparks in the State.
Despite a warning from the new governor for peace to be maintained, it was observed that it was not to be as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) struggled for control of the parks from members that identified with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The struggle for power had prevailed during the administration of Adegboyega Oyetola as it was known that political parties and successive administrations curried the support of these ‘notorious’ transport unions.
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The State government and the Osun PDP has also alleged that the former governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and his party, the APC has been behind the resurgence of violence in some parts of the State, especially Osogbo and Ilesa.
They also alleged that a former Commissioner for Works in the State, Oluremi Omowaiye has been the brain behind disturbances in the Ilesa axis of the State in recent months.
Omowaiye, within the space of 30 days, was attacked twice with his supporters sustaining varying degrees of injuries within Ilesa town.
Meanwhile, the Osun APC, which lost the July 16, 2022, gubernatorial election, is finding it hard to adjust to the role of second fiddle.
Many residents have spoken out about the nuisance supporters of the two political parties are causing within Osun.
A senior police officer interviewed by this medium in the light of the attacks also supported the fact that both the Osun PDP and the APC are constituting nuisance to the society and disrupting the easy way that Osun people have been used to for years.
Traditional Rulers
Adegboyega Oyetola, the former Osun State Governor had appointed three traditional rulers, Akinrun of Ikinrun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo before relinquishing power to Ademola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Prior to this, these choices did not sit well with the locals in these communities and many of them started to shout blue murder.
Upon assuming office, Adeleke quickly through an Executive Order put a hold on their instalment and inaugurated a committee on Chieftaincy Affairs to look into the issues surrounding their appointments.
Political thugs, motorpark management and attack on Oluremi Omowaiye
Political thugs have also been synonymous with politics in Nigeria and Osun State is not an exception.
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Prior to the Osun gubernatorial election, the APC has been known to allegedly affiliate with two thugs namely: Rasheed Hammed, aka Okoilu and Kazeem Oyewale, aka Asiri Eniba.
Also, the PDP in Osun was known to allegedly fraternise with Olalekan Ajagungbade, aka Emir.
The two major political parties in the State have had cause to accuse one another of fraternising with thugs prior to the gubernatorial election.
Little wonder, on November 28, 2022, some pockets of violence broke out in some motorparks in the State.
This violence, which welcomed Governor Adeleke, caused the newest governor in the country to direct security operatives to maintain the status quo in all motorparks statewide. A life was lost as a result of the clashes.
The political parties also pointed accusing fingers at each other.
Residents react
The effect of the resurgence of violence has also impacted negatively on the residents.
Jamiu Babatunde, a businessman stated that the politicians are just trying to heat up the polity with their games.
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He stated that there was no need for violence to pervade the political space because the sky is wide enough to contain all types of birds.
“Politicians want to rob the State of the peace we have been known to enjoy. Osun is known for its ‘Omoluabi’ ethos but due to politics, that value has been discarded to the dust bin.”
Olawumi Akinbamidele, a teacher, stated that both the system, the politicians, and the security outfits have failed the people.
“Since the emergence of this democratic dispensation, the peace that this State has been known for has gradually eroded it,” he said.
Rotimi Onigbinde, a retired headteacher, was of the opinion that politicians were just making things hot in order to have their way.
“You see, all the initial noise making is normal. They know what they are doing. It will soon cool down and things will come back to normal.
“My concern is the destruction and loss of lives as a result of the power play going on in their camps,” he added.
Police authorities in Edo State say scores have been kidnapped after some herdersmen attacked passengers waiting to board a train from the Igueben station in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State to Warri, in Delta State.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, while confirming the incident said the assault which took place on Saturday evening, left many persons injured.
According to the Police, the abductors, armed with AK 47, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before abducting scores of intending travellers into the bush.
The police while noting that many of the passengers sustained bullet wounds, assured Nigerians that operatives are on the trail of the abductors with an aim to rescue the kidnap victims herded into the thickets.
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“This is to inform the gentlemen of the press that today, 7th of January, 2023, at about 1600hrs, unspecified number of herdsmen armed with AK 47 riffles attacked the train station at Igueben, Edo State, and kidnapped unspecified number of passengers, who were waiting to board the train to Warri.
“The kidnappers, who shot sporadically into the air before kidnapping some passengers, left some persons with bullet wounds. The Area Commander Irrua, DPO Igueben Division and men, have visited the scene of the crime with members of the Edo State Security Network, local vigilantes, and hunters with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers,” the statement read.
According to Mr Nwabuzor, bush combing operations have commenced in order to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers.
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The police image maker said further developments will be communicated to keep Nigerians abreast of the situation
The Nigerian Army on Friday said Lieutenant PP Johnson, a female soldier abducted by gunmen on Monday, has not been released by her captors.
Johnson, a newly commissioned female Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army (NA), was kidnapped while visiting her grandmother in Aku-Okigwe in Imo State. (Watch Video Here)
In a viral video, one of the gunmen was heard vowing to deal with all serving personnel of the armed forces.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, debunked reports that the female soldier had been rescued by security operatives.
“The NA wishes to state that the information making the rounds is unsubstantiated as the officer is yet to be released or rescued from her abductors. Likewise, the video footage being circulated and associated with the rescue claim is an old video of the arrest of a suspect earlier effected by troops,” Nwachukwu said.(Watch Video Here)
The army spokesman said her abductors still dehumanised the officer despite coming from the South-Eastern part of the country.
He also chided them for claiming to be freedom fighters, describing members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as being terrorists.
“This evidently is another pointer to the myriads of crimes being unleashed by IPOB/ESN on Ndigbo, the very people (who) claim to be fighting for their emancipation. It should therefore be crystal clear to those who are still in doubt of the true status of these groups, that IPOB/ESN are terrorists, masquerading as freedom fighters and do not deserve the support of anyone, particularly the good people of South-East Nigeria. (Watch Video Here)
“Much as we appreciate the concern and goodwill of the general public for her safe rescue, we also wish to note that the information on the rescue of the officer did not emanate from the NA,” he added.
Nwachukwu noted that the “Nigerian Army will leave no stone unturned in its effort to rescue the officer and bring the perpetrators to book.”
The army spokesman urged the general public to provide credible and reliable information that could lead to her safe rescue and arrest of the perpetrators. (Watch Video Here)
German police launched an investigation into sympathizers of the PKK terrorist organization after the group staged public protests in the city of Dortmund, authorities reported Wednesday.
About 320 PKK supporters held demonstrations in the city, and 25 people from the group verbally confronted others nearby. The situation was brought under control because of police intervention, authorities said, adding that the state security service was aware of the images circulating on social media and also used them in their probe. (Watch Video Here)
The images shared online show a group of PKK supporters attacking one or more people with flagpoles and destroying property. The Dortmund police demanded an investigation into the physical violence and the disturbance of peace, urging witnesses to contact authorities.
The PKK is classified as an “ethno-nationalist” and “separatist” terrorist organization by the EU’s law enforcement agency, EUROPOL, and has been banned in Germany since 1993. (Watch Video Here)
But it remains active in the country with nearly 14,500 followers among the Kurdish immigrant population.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, BfV, warned in its annual report that the PKK remains the largest foreign extremist group in the country and its followers can carry out violent attacks if they receive instructions from group leaders abroad. (Watch Video Here)
Türkiye has long called on its NATO ally Germany to take stronger action against the PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG, stressing that the terrorist groups use Germany as a platform for fundraising, propaganda and recruitment activities.
Several reports from Turkish and international law enforcement agencies have shown the group is able to finance its bloody terrorist campaign through drug trafficking in the European Union, raking in over $1.5 billion annually. It relies on its supporters and pro-PKK political groups across Europe. (Watch Video Here)
Europol’s EU Terrorism Situation & Trend Report also revealed that the group maintained “an apparatus that provided logistical and financial support to its operatives in Türkiye and neighboring countries and promoted its political objectives.” This apparatus mainly operated under the guise of legally recognized entities, such as Kurdish associations, it added.
With the group’s supporters openly protesting and engaging in arson in major European cities last weekend, Türkiye has been alarmed again over terrorists and their backers being free to walk the streets. (Watch Video Here)
Just last Friday, the group’s supporters took to the streets of Paris to hold a so-called protest after a 69-year-old gunman with a “pathological” hatred for foreigners opened fire on a cultural center and nearby hair salon, killing at least three people and wounding three others in an area home to a large Kurdish community.
PKK supporters gathered in the area hours later and a violent clash with the police ensued where 31 officers were injured and dozens of public properties were damaged. (Watch Video Here)
Supporters of the terrorist group disrupted peace again on Saturday, this time in London, in another violent encounter with police. Gathering in front of the French Embassy in London, a group of the terrorist group’s proponents chanted slogans against Türkiye and France over the Paris shooting.
For its part, Türkiye reminded Europe on Sunday of the threat posed by the PKK. (Watch Video Here)
“Everyone must see the PKK terrorist group’s true face now,” Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Sunday. “They saw how troublesome it is to help and enable terrorists.”
In its over 40 years of attacks on Türkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children (Watch Video Here) and infants.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has neutralised over 100 terrorists including some of their leaders in an airstrike on Dec. 20, in Borno.
This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet. (Watch Video Here)
He said that the interdiction mission was conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) at Mantari village in Gezuwa general area, Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
The director said that among those neutralised were terrorist kingpins Khalid Tukur, Maimusari, and Bakura Jega.
Gabkwet said that the attack followed intelligence report that a Boko Haram terrorist commander, known as Ikirima had moved to Mantari village with his gun trucks, and was joined by terrorists on motorcycles from other locations. (Watch Video Here)
“Subsequently, the authorisation for an air strike was given leading to the elimination of several of the terrorists and structures in the area.
“After the first wave of air strikes, some surviving terrorists found their way back to the same location to evacuate the bodies of those neutralised in the air strike.
“This provided an opportunity for a follow-up strike on the same location which has been confirmed very successful as over 100 terrorists were neutralised with dozens said to be in critical condition.“ (Watch Video Here)
Gabkwet said that ISWAP and Boko Haram elements had perfected plans to resume active hostilities in the wake of the Yuletide and forthcoming general elections.
“The timely intelligence received on their plans especially, their attempt to attack soft targets in Bama thus helped in the successful air strikes which has reduced their will to regroup and attack innocent citizens.
“There is no doubt that the progress and gains being made especially, by the air and ground troops has greatly contained an upsurge of terrorists’ campaigns within the North-East zone in recent times. (Watch Video Here)
“Both air and ground troops have however been cautioned on the need to remain focused on the end state,“he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) have both commended their efforts and other security agencies under OPHK for the tremendous achievements being recorded in the theatre.
According to them, there has been a lot of improvement in the security situation in the region due to the ongoing operations.(Watch Video Here)
The duo, however, urged the troops to continue to give in their best towards ensuring that the region was completely rid of all terrorists.
They also paid special tribute to those who have paid the supreme sacrifice in the fight against terrorism and insurgency while commending the commitment and uncommon sacrifices of the troops as peace gradually returns to Borno.
While wishing them a merry Christmas, the service Chiefs extended the appreciation of President Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians to the troops for their sacrifices and efforts. (Watch Video Here)
𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 reports that yuletide lunch between the service Chiefs and frontline troops has become a periodic routine aimed at enhancing camaraderie among troops and boosting their morale
Two more PKK members have surrendered to Turkish security forces as the terrorist group continues to dissolve, the Interior Ministry said Monday.
In a statement, the ministry said they fled the terrorist group thanks to persuasion efforts of Turkish police and gendarmerie forces and surrendered eventually. (Watch Video Here)
The terrorists joined the PKK in 1993 and were active in Iraq and Iran.
With the latest surrenders, the number of terrorists who have laid down their arms through persuasion efforts this year has risen to 124, it added. (Watch Video Here)
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said that in 2023, no terrorists would remain in the countryside of Türkiye.
In Türkiye, offenders linked to terrorist groups who surrender are eligible for possible sentence reductions under a repentance law.
According to Turkish officials, in recent years, the terrorist PKK-battered and demoralized by Turkish security forces’ successful operations, has been losing members and failing to attract new ones. (Watch Video Here)
Many suspected terrorists have begun to abandon the PKK and surrender. Still, many terrorists lack the courage to leave the terrorist group out of fear of severe punishment if caught.
According to reports, the PKK’s leadership struggles to recruit militants and higher ranks. Additionally, many terrorists are reluctant to enter Turkey from Iraq to carry out attacks due to the high number of casualties. (Watch Video Here)
In recent years, Turkey has stepped up domestic operations and efforts across its borders against the terrorist group and convinced many members to abandon the PKK.
Protests by families in front of the pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) headquarters in Diyarbakır demanding the return of their sons and daughters, who were recruited or kidnapped to fight for the terrorist group, have also helped increase the number of people surrendering.
Calls made by the families to their children urging them to return home and surrender, as well as the persuasion efforts by security forces, have been influential. (Watch Video Here)
Boko Haram jihadists killed 17 herders and stole their cattle following clashes in the troubled northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, self-defence militia told AFP Monday.
The militants on Saturday attacked herders guarding their cattle in a pasture near Airamne village in Mafa district, the militiamen said. (Watch Video Here)
“Seventeen herders were killed in the fight and all their cattle taken away,” militia leader Babakura Kolo said.
“The herders put (up) resistance but were outgunned and outnumbered by the attackers, who had better weapons,” said Kolo.
Another militiaman, Ibrahim Liman, gave the same toll.
He said the jihadists launched the attack from camps in nearby Gajiganna forest, where they relocated after being partially forced out from their stronghold in Sambisa forest by jihadist rivals ISWAP and the Nigerian army. (Watch Video Here)
ISWAP — Islamic State West Africa Province — split from Boko Haram in 2016 and rose to become the dominant group in the region’s long-running jihadist turmoil.
It seized swathes of territory under Boko Haram control after leader Abubakar Shekau was killed in clashes with ISWAP in May last year.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have increasingly been targeting civilians, particularly loggers, farmers and herders, accusing them of spying on them for the military and the local anti-jihadist militia. (Watch Video Here)
But herders who pay a levy to the jihadists are usually allowed to let their cattle graze safely in territory under militant control.
Jihadist violence in the northeast has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes since 2009, according to the United Nations.
The conflict has spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting the creation of a regional military force to fight the jihadists. (Watch Video Here)
The killings, abductions and looting in the northeast are part of an overall security crisis in Nigeria.
Voters go to the polls on February 25 to elect a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is stepping down after two terms, the constitutional limit. (Watch Video Here)
Türkiye receives support when it fights the Daesh terrorist group but not in its fight against the PKK, Ömer Çelik, the spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said on Thursday.
Çelik emphasized during a televised interview on Habertürk TV that if counterterrorism operations were not carried out on Türkiye’s border, terrorist structures would exist as statelets there.
Çelik said the PKK’s course of action in Syria and Iraq is obviously guided by an entity that transcends the terrorist organization.
“Who is this? We are talking about whether it is a more collective structure. Judging by the way things are going, it seems to have received strong support. We’ve seen this before in Afghanistan. The U.S. used Russia. There was a proxy war,” he said.
The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Türkiye and the European Union, and Washington’s support for its Syrian affiliate, the YPG, has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara.
The U.S. primarily partnered with the YPG in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Türkiye strongly opposed the YPG terrorist group’s presence in northern Syria. Ankara has long objected to the U.S.’ support for the YPG, a group that poses a threat to Türkiye and terrorizes local people, destroying their homes and forcing them to flee.
Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to YPG terrorists, despite its NATO ally’s security concerns.
Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Türkiye conducted its own counterterrorism operations, over the course of which it has managed to remove a significant number of terrorists from the region.
He said the threat at Türkiye’s frontiers would have increased if the Russia-Ukraine war had not taken place.
“If the Russia-Ukraine war had not occurred, imagine the equation where there is no war today. The threat on our borders would have grown even more.”
“After all, it is not a choice but an existential necessity for Türkiye when it is threatened, including a distance of 30 kilometers from our border, to deploy and strike,” he said.
Çelik added that these military operations would continue in order to secure Türkiye’s national security, noting that they have uninterrupted contact with the people of the region and all groups.
“The longer this process takes, the more terrorist organizations begin to settle. The state and social structures here face great threats. Then, meeting with Syria and reopening the doors of communication come to the fore as a mandatory opening for the region,” he added.
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He said it is crucial to have powerful state structures surrounding Türkiye because they care about the territorial integrity of Syria and believe that the terrorist group threatens both Syria and Türkiye.
Recently, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword, a cross-border aerial campaign against the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian wing, the YPG, which have illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan attacks on Turkish soil.
The country’s air operation followed a PKK/YPG terrorist attack on Nov. 13 on Istanbul’s crowded Istiklal Street that killed six people and left 81 injured.
After the air operation was launched, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also signaled a ground operation to northern Iraq and northern Syria to eliminate the terrorist threat, adding, “This is not limited to just an air operation.”
The president specified northern Syria’s PKK/YPG-controlled Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Ain al-Arab (also known as Kobani) regions as possible targets to clear of terrorists.
Tal Rifaat lies 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of the border with Türkiye. The PKK/YPG controls the city and surrounding villages, and Russian troops are present in the area. The Syrian National Army (SNA) controls areas surrounding Tal Rifaat from the north, while Russian-backed Syrian troops control zones mostly to the south.
Russian troops are deployed in some PKK/YPG-controlled border areas of northern Syria following a 2019 agreement that sought to avert a previous Turkish operation threat.
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Carlo Ancelotti’s team successfully added to their four cups from 2014 to 2018, and their triumph meant European teams have won the past 10 editions of the tournament.
Arocket attack by the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian branch YPG killed at least two civilians and injured two others in northern Syria on Thursday.
YPG/PKK terrorists mounted a rocket attack in the town of Tuffaha in Tal Abyad city, the local sources said, adding that one of the rockets hit a civilian house.
The injured were transferred to the Tal Abyad hospital for medical treatment.
Tal Abyad was cleared of PKK terrorist organization’s Syrian wing, the YPG in October 2019 with Türkiye’s Operation Peace Spring.
Türkiye has warned allied countries not to support PKK/YPG terror group for any reason, including in the pretext of fighting the Daesh terrorist organization, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said in the day.
“In the recent talks with the allied countries, necessary warnings and reminders were made to them not to support the PKK/YPG, a bloody terrorist organization that attacks our borders and our people. For whatever reason, including the pretext of fighting Daesh, do not allow the use of their own flag and uniforms that will make it difficult to distinguish them from terrorists, keeping terrorists away from their areas. Cut off all relations with terrorist organizations as soon as possible,” Akar told the reporters.
Akar informed that the PKK/YPG has recently targeted civilian settlements and carried out “vile and bloody” attacks on innocent citizens, regardless of children, women, students, or teachers.
“The attitudes of those who perceive the Daesh terrorist organization as a danger from thousands of kilometers away, about our necessary measures against terrorist organizations that target our civilian settlements, including schools, and massacre our innocent people, are unacceptable,” the minister underscored.
Regarding the U.S. statements on Türkiye’s possible Syria ground operation, Akar said: “They asked us to reevaluate. We also explained our sensitivities and wanted the promises to be kept. We stressed they should understand us.”
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Recently, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword, a cross-border aerial campaign against the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian wing, the YPG, which have illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan attacks on Turkish soil.
The country’s air operation followed a PKK/YPG terrorist attack on Nov. 13 on Istanbul’s crowded Istiklal Street that killed six people and left 81 injured.
The Turkish Defense Ministry said the operation was carried out in line with the right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
After the air operation was launched, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also signaled a ground operation in northern Iraq and northern Syria to eliminate the terrorist threat, adding: “This is not limited to just an air operation.”
The president specified northern Syria’s YPG-controlled Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Ain al-Arab (Kobani) regions as possible targets to clear of terrorists.
The Turkish leader has threatened a new military operation into northern Syria since May and upped those threats in the wake of this month’s attack. Erdoğan has repeatedly called for a 30-kilometer (18-mile) safe zone to protect Türkiye against cross-border attacks from Syrian territory.
“We know the identity, location and track record of the terrorists. We also know very well who patronizes, arms and encourages terrorists,” Erdoğan also recently said, referring to the U.S. support for the YPG.
The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Türkiye and the European Union, and Washington’s support for its Syrian affiliate has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara. The PKK/YPG has controlled much of northeastern Syria after the forces of Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad withdrew in 2012.
The U.S. primarily partnered with PKK/YPG terrorists in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Türkiye strongly opposed the PKK/YPG’s presence in northern Syria.
Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to the PKK/YPG, despite its NATO ally’s security concerns. Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Türkiye has conducted its counterterrorism operations throughout, removing a significant number of terrorists from the region.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).
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The governor also denied the allegation of burning the venue approved by his administration for the PDP Presidential Campaign Council to hold its Presidential Campaign rally.
People in northern Syria’s opposition-held Azaz want Türkiye and the Syrian National Army (SNA) to carry out an operation in Tal Rifaat to clear the region of PKK/YPG terrorists.
A crowd gathered after the Friday prayers in Azaz, which neighbors the terrorist-occupied district of Tal Rifaat, to protest the attacks organized by the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG.
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The demonstrators came together in support of a possible ground operation by Türkiye and the SNA. People participating in the demonstration chanted “Syria is ours” and “We do not want a terrorist group in our lands.”
In the speeches made at the demonstration, people from Tal Rifaat also said that they wanted to return to their homes and that they would support Türkiye until the end in the operation.
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The scarcity of the redesigned Naira notes had crippled activities in the country with Nigerians daily keeping vigil at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) posts to cash money for their daily…
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday signaled a ground operation in northern Iraq and northern Syria to eliminate the terrorist threat, adding that Türkiye will not remain silent against terrorism.
“First of all, this operation in northern Iraq and northern Syria is not an operation that was carried out with random thoughts by saying ‘who would say what?’ or ‘how would that happen?’
“As we’ve said before if someone disturbs our country and lands, we will make them pay the price. So, there are terrorist organizations in our south that are planning many attacks or that carry out such attacks and pose a threat (to Türkiye),” Erdoğan told reporters on the presidential plane returning from his Qatar trip.
Erdoğan’s remarks came after Türkiye launched early Sunday Operation Claw-Sword, a cross-border aerial campaign against the terrorist group PKK and its Syrian branch YPG, which has illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan attacks on Turkish soil.
“This is not limited to just an air operation,” Erdoğan stressed, adding that the relevant units will do their consultations and take steps accordingly.
Türkiye’s air operation followed last Sunday’s terrorist attack on Istanbul’s crowded Istiklal Street that killed at least six people and left 81 injured.
The Defense Ministry said the operation was carried out in line with the right of self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
Erdoğan said nearly 70 aircraft, including armed drones, took part in the operation and added that a total of 89 terror targets, including shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels and ammunition depots were destroyed.
“At this point, 45 terrorist targets at a depth of approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) in northern Iraq, and 44 targets at a depth of about 20 kilometers in Syria were hit,” he added.
Asked if Türkiye discussed this operation with Russia and the United States, Erdoğan said: “We have not had any conversations with (U.S. President Joe) Biden or (Russian President Vladimir) Putin regarding this operation. However, both Biden and Putin already know that we can do such things in this region at any time.”
Erdoğan recalled the Sochi deal between Türkiye and Russia to remove YPG/PKK terrorists from northeastern Syria bordering Türkiye.
“They had the responsibility to clear the terrorists from the area. Unfortunately, even though we reminded them many times over and over, they did not do this.
“We said that we would not remain silent against this, and that we would take steps against the terrorists there if they could not do it,” he said.
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Türkiye is with the United States in NATO, Erdoğan also said, noting, however, that Washington has unfortunately sent thousands of equipment, ammunition, and weapons to the terror zones in Syria.
During his talks with Biden in Indonesia, Erdoğan said: “I told him: ‘We are together with you in NATO, we are two important allies. Since such a threat came to us from the south, you are putting us in trouble by giving support to the terrorist organizations here. Of course, we cannot live with these problems. When necessary, we will have to give the necessary answer to them.’ Of course, they can’t say anything. We have done what is necessary at this point, we are doing it, and we will continue to do so.”
The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Türkiye and the European Union and Washington’s support for its Syrian affiliate has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara. The YPG has controlled much of northeastern Syria after the forces of Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad withdrew in 2012. The U.S. primarily partnered with YPG terrorists in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Türkiye strongly opposed the YPG’s presence in northern Syria.
Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to the YPG, despite its NATO ally’s security concerns. Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Türkiye conducted its counterterrorism operations, throughout which it has managed to remove a significant number of terrorists from the region.
Türkiye is ready to rid northern Syria’s Tal Rifaat and Manbij areas, near the Turkish border, of terrorist elements in a bid to eliminate the terror threat from the region, President Erdoğan said earlier this year.
“We are taking another step in establishing a 30-kilometer security zone along our southern border. We will clean up Tal Rifaat and Manbij,” he stressed adding that the planned military operations will gradually continue in other parts of northern Syria.
Erdoğan has said as the U.S. and Russia failed to live up to their commitments to provide such a safe zone in the border region. In October 2019, Russia expressed commitment to removing the terrorist group from Tal Rifaat and Manbij after reaching an agreement with Türkiye during Operation Peace Spring. Moscow also promised that the terrorists would be removed 30 kilometers from the border on the M4 road and in the area outside the Operation Peace Spring area. Likewise, then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence pledged to Türkiye that the YPG/PKK terrorist group would withdraw from the region of Operation Peace Spring.
Ankara has launched several cross-border operations into Syria since 2016 and controls some territories in the north with the goal of pushing away the YPG/PKK and establishing a 30-kilometer-deep safe zone. Since 2016, Türkiye has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).
Also, the PKK terrorist group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Türkiye’s southern border, to plot terrorist attacks in the country. The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Türkiye has long been stressing that it will not tolerate terrorist threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that if the expected steps were not taken, it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats.
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The president, represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, also called on all Nigerians to work for the success of the elections to help…
The U.S.-backed Syrian branch of the PKK terror group, the YPG, has threatened Türkiye amid the launch of Operation Claw-Sword. These attacks will not go unanswered, the YPG said in a statement.
“At the appropriate time and place, we will respond forcefully and effectively,” it added.
YPG forces in northeast Syria also said Saturday that if Türkiye attacks, then fighters in the area would have “the right to resist and defend our areas in a major way that will take the region into a long war.”
“Turkish bombing of our safe areas threatens the whole region,” Ferhat Abdi Şahin, also known as Mazloum Abdi, the chief commander of the YPG, said on Twitter.
The YPG often mounts attacks on civilian areas in northern Syria’s Türkiye-backed regions from Manbij and Tal Rifaat. Furthermore, local people living in areas held by the YPG have also long suffered from its atrocities, as the terrorist organization has a notorious record of human rights abuses including kidnappings, recruitment of child soldiers, torture, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in Syria.
The YPG has forced young people from areas under its control to join the terrorist group with what it calls “compulsory conscription.”
Türkiye announced on Sunday it had carried out air strikes on the bases of outlawed YPG militants across northern Syria and Iraq, which are used to launch terrorist attacks on Turkish soil.
The operation, code-named Operation Claw-Sword, comes a week after a blast in central Istanbul that killed at least six people and wounded 81.
Türkiye blamed the attack on the PKK, which has waged a bloody insurgency for decades and is designated a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies.
“Air Operation Claw-Sword was successfully carried out, within the scope of our strategy to eradicate terrorism at its source and eliminate terror attacks against our people and security forces from northern Iraq and Syria,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry cited Türkiye’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter in launching Claw-Sword late Saturday night. It said it was targeting areas “used as a base by terrorists in their attacks on our country.”
Türkiye said it was seeking to prevent attacks, secure its southern border and “destroy terrorism at its source.”
The raids targeted PKK bases in northern Iraq’s mountainous regions of Qandil, Asos and Hakurk, as well as YPG bases in the Ain al-Arab (Kobani), Tal Rifaat, Jazira and Derik regions in Syria, the ministry said. Ankara considers the YPG an extension of the PKK.
Overall, 89 targets, including shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels, ammunition depots, so-called headquarters and training camps belonging to the militants “were destroyed,” the ministry said, adding “many terrorists were neutralized,” including the militant groups’ leaders.
“All our planes safely returned to their bases after the operation,” it added.
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar was seen in a video image briefing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who gave the order for the latest operation.
Akar oversaw the airstrikes from an operations center and congratulated pilots and ground staff. “Our aim is to ensure the security of our 85 million citizens and our borders and to retaliate for any treacherous attack on our country,” he said, according to a ministry statement.
Akar added: “Shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels, and warehouses belonging to terrorists were destroyed with great success … The so-called headquarters of the terrorist organization were also hit and destroyed with direct hits.”
The Istanbul bombing was the deadliest in five years and evoked bitter memories of a wave of nationwide attacks from 2015 to 2017 that were attributed mostly to PKK-linked terrorists or the Daesh terrorist group. No individual or group has claimed responsibility.
After the explosion, Turkish authorities arrested more than a dozen people, including chief suspect Alham Albashir – a Syrian woman who is said to have been working for YPG militants.
Bulgaria has also detained five people accused of having helped one of the suspects.
“The hour of reckoning has come,” the Turkish Defense Ministry tweeted early on Sunday, along with a photo of a plane taking off for a night operation.
“Terrorist hotbeds razed by precision strikes,” the ministry said in another post, which was accompanied by a video showing a target being selected from the air followed by an explosion.
In its first comment on the Turkish strikes, the Syrian regime said “several soldiers” were killed due to “Turkish aggressions in northern Aleppo and Hassakeh provinces at dawn.”
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The raids killed at least 18 members of the YPG terrorist group and 12 Syrian regime soldiers, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based monitoring group that has an extensive network of contacts across the country. The observatory said about 25 airstrikes were carried out by Turkish warplanes on sites in the countryside of Aleppo, Raqqa and Hassakeh.
Local media reported that the northern Iraqi city of Sinjar was also targeted. In neighboring Iraq, officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said at least 32 PKK militants had been killed in 25 air raids.
The U.S. Consulate General in Irbil said it is monitoring “credible open-source reports” of potential Turkish military action in northern Syria and northern Iraq in the coming days.
Türkiye’s latest military push could create problems for Ankara’s complex relations with its Western allies – particularly the United States, which has relied mostly on YPG forces in its fight against Daesh. But Türkiye considers the YPG a terror group linked to the PKK and has often accused Washington of supplying arms to the terrorists in Syria.
Ankara and Washington both consider the PKK a terror group, but disagree on the status of the YPG.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu rejected the United States’ message of condolences after the Istanbul attack. Soylu has said Ankara believes the order for the Istanbul attack was given from Ain al-Arab, which is controlled by YPG forces.
Ain al-Arab, a Syrian town near the Turkish border, was captured by Daesh in late 2014 before YPG forces drove them out early the following year.
Türkiye has launched waves of attacks on Syria since 2016 targeting YPG terrorists as well as Daesh terrorists, and Ankara and forces backed by it have seized territory along the Syrian border.
Since May, Erdoğan has warned Türkiye may launch a new operation in northern Syria. Türkiye has launched three major cross-border operations into Syria since 2016 and already controls some territories in the north. Turkish forces also launched a fresh ground and air operation, dubbed Claw-Lock, against the PKK in northern Iraq in April.
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Türkiye conducted an air operation against the PKK and its offshoot YPG in northern parts of Syria and Iraq, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
The Claw-Sword Air Operation was conducted in northern Iraq and Syria, which are used as bases for attacks against Türkiye by terrorists, the ministry said in a statement.
It said the operation was carried out in line with the right of self-defense arising from Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
“Terror nests are being destroyed with direct hits,” it said in an earlier tweet as it shared the first images of the operation.
It announced the operation on Twitter with a photograph of a Turkish warplane taking off and said: “Time for reckoning! The scoundrels are being held accountable for the treacherous attacks!”
At least 89 YPG/PKK terror targets were hit during air raids, the ministry said later in the day.
“With the Operation Claw-Sword, 89 terror targets, 81 targets in the first stage and eight others this morning, including shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels, ammunition depots, and so-called headquarters and training camps belonging to terrorists, who threaten our country, nation and border security, were destroyed,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said Türkiye carried out a “successful operation” in the Qandil, Asos and Hakurk regions of northern Iraq and Arab Spring, Tal Rifaat, Jazira, and Derik regions of northern Syria.
“Among the terrorists neutralized in the air operation were the so-called leaders of the terrorist organization,” the ministry added.
It was carried out to eliminate the terrorist attacks against Turkish people and security forces from the northern areas of Iraq and Syria, and to ensure Türkiye’s border security, the ministry said.
“After the operation, in which mostly domestic and national ammunition was used, all of our aircraft returned safely to their bases,” it added.
Türkiye will continue the fight against terrorism for the security of the country and nation with determination until the last terrorist is eliminated, the ministry stressed.
Türkiye “successfully” destroyed terrorists’ hideouts during the new air operation in northern regions of Iraq and Syria, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar also said on Sunday.
“Terrorists’ shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels and warehouses were successfully destroyed. We followed them closely. The so-called headquarters of the terrorist organization were also hit and destroyed,” Akar said in his address to the operations center from the capital Ankara.
“Only terrorists and hideouts belonging to them were targeted … The claw of our Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was once again on top of the terrorists,” Akar said.
Türkiye will continue to call to account those who target the country’s security, he vowed.
“Our aim is to ensure the security of our 85 million citizens and our borders, and to respond to any treacherous attack on our country,” Akar stressed.
Vice President Fuat Oktay said the TSK called the terrorists to account. “We will continue to make traitors pay the price,” Oktay said on Twitter.
Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said Türkiye has the full sovereign right to determine and eliminate any terrorist threat wherever it may come from.
“Türkiye conducts its anti-terror operations in line with international law and will continue to do so with or without the support of its allies,” Kalın said on Twitter.
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Separately, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun reiterated that terrorists’ targets were “successfully” destroyed at the operation.
“We will continue to defeat the efforts of terrorism and its sponsors to destabilize Türkiye, and to destroy terrorism at its source,” Altun said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Presidency shared photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ordering the start of the air operation on his return from Indonesia where he visited to attend the G-20 summit.
The operation follows last Sunday’s terrorist attack on Istanbul’s crowded İstiklal Street that killed at least six and left 81 injured. The Turkish government said the attack was carried out by the PKK/YPG terrorist organization.
Recent terrorist attacks targeting Turkish cities are parts of an attempt to pull Türkiye back into the grip of global instability, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said Friday, adding that both terror attacks were carried out by terrorists that came from northern Syria’s Manbij.
The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Türkiye and the European Union and Washington’s support for its Syrian affiliate has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara. The YPG has controlled much of northeastern Syria after the forces of Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad withdrew in 2012. The U.S. primarily partnered with YPG terrorists in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Türkiye strongly opposed the YPG’s presence in northern Syria.
Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to the YPG, despite its NATO ally’s security concerns. Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Türkiye conducted its counterterrorism operations, throughout which it has managed to remove a significant number of terrorists from the region.
Türkiye is ready to rid northern Syria’s Tal Rifaat and Manbij areas, near the Turkish border, of terrorist elements in a bid to eliminate the terror threat from the region, President Erdoğan said earlier this year.
“We are taking another step in establishing a 30-kilometer (18.64-mile) security zone along our southern border. We will clean up Tal Rifaat and Manbij,” he said adding that the planned military operations will gradually continue in other parts of northern Syria.
Erdoğan has said as the U.S. and Russia failed to live up to their commitments to provide such a safe zone in the border region. In October 2019, Russia expressed commitment to removing the terrorist group from Tal Rifaat and Manbij after reaching an agreement with Türkiye during Operation Peace Spring. Moscow also promised that the terrorists would be removed 30 kilometers from the border on the M4 road and in the area outside the Operation Peace Spring area. Likewise, then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence pledged to Türkiye that the YPG/PKK terrorist group would withdraw from the region of Operation Peace Spring.
Ankara has launched several cross-border operations into Syria since 2016 and controls some territories in the north with the goal of pushing away the YPG and establishing a 30-kilometer-deep safe zone. Since 2016, Türkiye has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).
Also, the PKK terrorist group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Türkiye’s southern border, to plot terrorist attacks in the country. The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Türkiye has long been stressing that it will not tolerate terrorist threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that if the expected steps were not taken, it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats.
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