The General Staff Admits No Fault In Aktütün Assault

Commander of the 2nd Army Koşaner announced that the Armed Forces had no fault in the Aktütün assault of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), in which 17 soldiers were killed. Koşaner repeated the claim that the pictures that appeared in the media were incorrect.

Ankara

Commander of the 2nd Army Four-Star Işık Koşaner announced in the press release he held today that there was no neglect militarily in the Aktütün assault.

He said all the orders given during the assault were in accordance with the military tactics.

Seventeen soldiers had been killed in the assault of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) on the Aktütün border post and the military unit at Bayraktepe (Flag Hill) in the eastern Turkey province of Hakkari on October 3.

The media had criticized the Armed Forces for not taking the necessary precautions despite the intelligence reports about approaching PKK military units.

Daily Taraf had published gendarmerie intelligence reports and pictures claimed to be showing the approaching PKK units. Chief of Staff İlkerBaşbuğ had appeared the next day and attacked the media and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had showed his support for his chief of staff. The rights defenders, journalists and experts had in return criticized this development.

Koşaner: There was no neglect

The commander of the 2nd Army stated that these pictures did not belong to the place where Aktütün Post was. The unmanned aerial vehicle was in the northern Iraq and it was directed to the Aktütün region as soon as the attack was heard. The scenes that the vehicle sent became accessible after some time passed.

According to ntvmsnbc, Koşaner emphasized the following points:

- During the encounter, militarily correct orders were given. There was no weakness in intelligence. Since the geography of the area is very tough, it is not possible to control the area by occupying every mountain top.

- Although the exact number of the terrorists who participated in the attack is not known, they are estimated to have been 150 people. Since the area is covered by deep valleys and invisible caves, it is likely that the terrorists used them to approach the area.

- The target of the assault was not the Aktütün Post, but Bayraktepe. The Aktütün staff may be rewarded. (EÜ/TB)