Erdogan Orders Operations in Iraq and Syria After G20 Summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered operations to be carried out in Iraq and Syria following his return from the G20 summit. TRT television reported on this development.

The Turkish channel displayed footage of Erdogan meeting with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who briefed the president on the regional situation. After the briefing, Erdogan signed a document presented to him.

Defense Minister Akar stated that caves, tunnels, and warehouses belonging to Kurdish armed groups had been destroyed during air operations in northern Syria and Iraq.

The Turkish Interior Minister also announced that a suspect linked to an explosion in the center of Turkey has been arrested, and he has confessed to having ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu raised suspicions that the directive for the terrorist act was received from the border city of Kobani in Syria, and the perpetrator crossed into Turkish territory from Afrin.

Soylu stated on Monday that the Turkish authorities do not accept condolences from the U.S. Embassy regarding the terrorist act. The arrested suspect has confessed to having connections with the PKK.