Shafaq News/ The Turkish Consul General in Mosul, Mehmet Kocak, said that Ankara respects Iraqi sovereignty and "takes into account" not affecting civilians in its operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq.

In an interview with Shafaq News Agency, the Consul pointed out that "Turkey respects the unity and sovereignty of Iraq and does not interfere in the Iraqi affairs," adding that its military operations against the PKK are necessary.

Concerning the Sinjar clashes, Kocak stressed, "this is an Iraqi affair. As for the PKK, it is a terrorist organization. Turkey would continue its military operations against it," hoping that the Iraqi government would work to expel the PKK from Sinjar.

The Turkish Consul expressed his country's "readiness to provide military or technical assistance to Iraq against PKK or any other terrorist organization."

Last month, Ankara launched an action called "Operation Claw Lock" to "prevent terror attacks" and ensure border security following an assessment that the PKK was planning a large-scale attack.

Turkey regularly launches air strikes into northern Iraq, a region where it has repeatedly sent commandos to support its offensives.

In 2020, Turkey launched operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle in the border regions of northern Iraq to "ensure the safety of the Turkish people and frontiers."

Last April, Ankara's Defense Ministry said that the Turkish security forces had "neutralized" 56 terrorists in the recently launched Operation in northern Iraq.

"Our Operation continues as planned with great success. We wish God's mercy upon our martyrs," said National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar at a meeting via video link with the unit commanders of the Operation.

Akar added that the first phase of the operation had been completed successfully.

A new phase started in the fight against terrorism on July 24, 2015. Akar said 34,259 terrorists had been neutralized in Turkey, northern Iraq, and Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Operation Claw Lock against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq follows international law.

Speaking in a press conference, Erdogan said, "the Turkish operations against terrorists abroad (in Iraq), based on its belief that saving its security starts from outside its borders," and "to cleanse the Zab area completely."

"So far, we neutralized about 1,000 terrorists on the southern border in 2022." He added.

The Turkish president pointed out that these operations were carried out according to international law, including the U.N. Charter.

"Turkey has the strength, will, and firmness to protect its security, and it will not allow any terrorist to find a corridor on its southern borders."

The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which in the past was mainly focused on southeast Turkey.

PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.