Europe

Home page

Europe

Ankara considers counter-terrorism force

15 July 2010 01:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Ankara announced plans to explore a paramilitary unit of professional soldiers that would conduct counter-terrorism operations along Turkey’s border, APA reports quoting upi.com web-page.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said specially trained professionals could serve from five to 10 years in service protecting the border with Iraq, Syria and Iran, Turkish daily newspaper Today’s Zaman reports.
Ankara is escalating its campaign against rebels with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which operates in the Kurdish south of Turkey.
Military service is mandatory in Turkey and many soldiers have died in the fight against the separatist group, the report notes.
Erdogan added that Ankara could set up around 150 police stations to strengthen intelligence efforts against regional terrorist groups.
Turkish lawmakers said they would review existing laws to see if new legislation was needed to govern the role of professional soldiers. Turkey maintains a professional military unit that includes paid personnel.
Opponents of the measure wonder if a separate military unit is enough to create a buffer zone along the border, the report adds.