Turkish military stages military buildup in Iraqi border

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has intensified its military deployment close to the Iraqi border in an ostensible move to both support ongoing operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and increase border security, Doğan News Agency has reported.
Military vehicles coming from Mardin entered military commands near the Habur Border Gate while others were dispatched to commands in the mountainside across from the Turkish-Iraqi border, the agency said.

The latest dispatch aimed to oversee the effects of a migration wave at the border that could emerge after a possible military operation on Mosul, as well as providing support to anti-PKK operations in the region.

The security for the military vehicles was provided by a number of armed vehicles in addition to Jammer-carrying military vehicles against the potential threat of remote explosives.

Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, accompanied by force commanders, paid a two-day visit to three southeastern provinces to make inspections on deployments at military commands in the region where operations against PKK militants are continuing.

Akar and force commanders first visited Şırnak and met with Şırnak Gov. Ali İhsan Su at the governor's office, while also visiting troops in the region to make inspections.

Akar and commanders later departed for the Yüksekova and Şemdinli districts of the eastern province of Hakkari and met with Yüksekova District Gov. İbrahim Çenet.

They later headed to the eastern province of Van to make inspections of military troops in the Başkale district.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Oct. 9 PKK suicide attack targeting a military checkpoint in the Şemdinli district of the eastern province of...