BAGHDAD (CÝHAN) - The US-backed Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allavi said on Friday his government was taking all necessary measures to root out PKK militants hiding in Northern Iraq. However Allavi added that the Turkish army should stop its cross-border operations in Iraq.
"If an terror organization carries out attacks on our neighbor, we can't allow it," Allavi told Cihan News Agency, however, he added Iraq opposes the operations of the Turkish army in Iraq aimed at cracking down on PKK militants.
Turkish intelligence sources believe that nearly 4000-5000 PKK/KADEK terrorists are hiding in the region. However, sources say that some of the Kurdish rebels have recently infiltrated into Turkey with a view to carrying out terrorist attacks following the ending of the PKK's unilateral 6-year old ceasefire in Turkey on June 1.
The new US-backed Iraqi government, which took over 'full sovereignty' from the US-led interim administration last month, has included the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in its list of terrorist organizations.
Allavi said that his government attached great importance to developing relations with Turkey. "We will not allow PKK activities in Iraq anymore. We have added the PKK terrorist organization to our list of proscribed organizations to show that we want to improve relations with Turkey."
Prime Minister Allavi said Iraqi secuirty forces would collaborate with Turkish intelligence services in launching operations against the PKK militants. However, Allavi underlined that the Turkish army should end its operations in Iraq.
When reminded that the Iraqi Defense Minister Hazým Shalan said that preparations for the elimination of the PKK from Iraq were underway, the Iraqi Prime Minister said that they would act through non-violent measures such as talks. "Military operations are not our first preference."