21 members of the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were reported dead in the context of the military operations that were launched after 24 soldiers were killed in attacks of the outlawed organization in Hakkari on Wednesday (19 October). Cross-border operations were started on Thursday (20 October).
At the same day, President Abdullah Gül made a statement that was met with mixed emotions by the media and the public. Gül announced, "Those who think that our state has been jolted by these attacks, those who think they subdued the state - they will see that the revenge for these attacks will be enormous and taken along with retaliation".
Tosun: "We lived through this, nobody else should experience that"
Hanım Tosun, wife of Fehmi Tosun who disappeared 17 years ago and probably the most "famous" member of the Saturday Mothers/People, called on the people as well as on the authorities to be sensitive in this issue and stop the bloodshed.
"For several years we have called on everybody that no-one should experience this grief any more. We lived through this pain, we experienced disappearances and we did not want anybody else to live through that but it did not work out... Death is always painful, no matter which side the children are from. (...) If the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief of General Staff had really put themselves in the shoes of these families, they would feel the same grief as well".
"If the officials who do not send their own children there for the military service (...) felt the same grief, they would have taken measures. (...) We call on the people and on the authorities to be sensitive. It is enough".
The president's statement was also disputed on social media platforms like Twitter.
Mustafa Altıoklar (film director, producer and screenwriter): The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP) have to find a basis for a consensus immediately just like Mustafa Kemal found a consensus with Diyap Ağa. This is the first thing that has to be done. Can the powerful be innocent? If there is such a big problem, the ones aspiring to power are responsible for the deadlock too.
Gülben Ergen (actor): What do we have to do to make these incidents stop? Shall we walk to Ankara, shall we go on strike? My child will go to the military as well but these incidents have to stop. Years ago, Bülent Ersoy said that if he had a son he would not have sent him to the military. He was beaten up. Right now I acknowledge him to be right. We always brushed the issue aside by saying 'long live the nation, long live the country' but this is not the core of the matter. Someone needs to do something to end this now.
Cem Özer (actor): Peace at home, peace in the world. It takes a week to promote peace. Wanting it is enough. Our children and our young people shall not die any more. ENOUGH.
General Staff announced start of cross-border operations
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) announced that land operations were launched in five separate regions involving 22 battalions of about 10,000 soldiers each.
The General Staff Presidency declared, "Wide-range air-land operations began in a total of five separate regions within the country and across the border (in the area of the Kurdish Regional Administration in northern Iraq) with a total of 22 battalions".
Three PKK members were reported dead since this announcement was made on 19 October. (ÇT/VK)
