Turkey vows to expand anti-PKK operations in northern Iraq

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s president has vowed to expand cross-border operations against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. His vow follows the abduction and killing of 13 Turkish soldiers, police and civilians. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that the killings have strengthened Turkey’s will to form a secure zone along its border in northern Iraq to protect Turkey’s frontiers from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. The bodies of the 13 victims were discovered in a cave complex in northern Iraq during an operation against the PKK that had aimed to free the hostages. The hostages had been kidnapped inside Turkey in 2015 and 2016.