Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The situation in Turkey has become the top agenda for the international community after the country was subjected to numerous terroristic attacks.

The chain of terrorist attacks in the country, which has been struggling with the Kurdistan Workers Party terrorist group over many years and is neighbor to war-torn Syria, has alarmed and necessitated the support of the international community.

Following Turkey’s request for urgent consultations with its 27 NATO allies, the organization offered political support for Turkey's campaign against militants in Syria and Iraq at an emergency meeting in Brussels on July 28.

It is only the fifth time in NATO history that members met under Article 4 of NATO's founding treaty, which allows countries to ask for consultations when they believe their territorial integrity, political independence, or security is threatened.

This came as Ankara has increased its participation in the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State with air strikes on IS-held territory as well as PKK camps in Iraq from last week after the country was hit by a series of terrorist acts.

The situation in Turkey has deteriorated in the last week after an organized Islamic State terrorist attack in Suruc on the border with Syria and the killings of policemen in the south-eastern provinces by the PKK.

Although there has no decision yet on rendering military support to Turkey to combat terrorists, its NATO allies are closely watching the situation and have shown strong solidarity with the country.

NATO’s Press Officer Matthias Eichenlaub told Trend on July 28 that the organization is augmenting Turkish air defenses to help defend Turkey against ballistic missiles from Syria.

“This is a concrete sign of NATO solidarity with Turkey,” Eichenlaub added.

NATO rules provide for mutual support if an ally comes under attack. However, Turkey has not invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic treaty which requires allied nations to consider military action.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Turkey didn’t appeal to NATO for military support to combat the IS and PKK terrorists.

However, Turkey's president on Tuesday called on NATO to “do its part” in helping address the country’s concerns over security on its borders.

“We are using our rights under international law and will continue to use them. It is NATO's duty, which is why we demand NATO to be prepared in this regard,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists before a flight to China.

Beginning on July 25, the Turkish Air Force launched a bombing campaign of IS positions in northern Syria, as well as on PKK positions in northern Iraq.

Turkish Air Force destroyed a PKK military camp in Hakurk in Iraq’s north on July 27.

Despite the U.S.-led campaign to fight IS terrorists, the international community wasn’t successful in reaching this purpose.

Turkey’s active involvement in the operations has raised expectations for eliminating the IS threat in near future.

However, until the recent developments, Turkey didn’t seem eager to take part in military operations against this terrorist group, despite repeated calls by Washington and the European countries to act.

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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

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