An extraordinary government security council was convened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today Saturday, following the death of nine Turkish soldiers in clashes in northern Iraq with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The meeting will be attended by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Güler, Interior Minister Ali Gerlikaya, the Chief of Staff General Metin Giurak and the head of the MIT intelligence service, Ibrahim Gerlikaya.

At the same time, the Turkish Ministry of Defence announced that the operations of the Turkish Army in the area are ongoing and that 20 members of the PKK have been killed.

It is noted that the clashes between the Turkish Army and the PKK in northern Iraq have intensified recently, with the Turkish Ministry of Defence announcing on December 22 and 23 the death of 12 of its soldiers and 20 members of the PKK.

Since then, every day Turkey announces targeted attacks by the Army and the MIT secret service against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and Syria.

Source: CNN Greece

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