The Higher Counterterrorism Board (TMYK) convened on Thursday for a second time -- following an attack by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on the Aktütün military outpost on Oct. 3, in which 17 Turkish soldiers died -- to discuss a new strategy to fight terrorism. The military was expected in the meeting to request increased authority to effectively fight the organization. The board will continue devising a strategy at the second meeting set for next Tuesday.

During Thursday’s meeting, the military reiterated its demands to increase its powers in fighting terrorists, which many have found to be reminiscent of the Emergency Rule (OHAL) implemented in the past. The government is unlikely to approve such proposals because studies indicate that the OHAL system actually had adverse consequences in the fight against terrorism, in addition to curbing rights and freedoms in the region. The government is expected to maintain its stance against compromising on democratic rights and freedoms and does not want to change its position under any circumstances. The board also discussed the setting up of a professional unit to fight terrorists as well as the possibility of establishing a security zone in northern Iraq to stop terrorists from crossing into Turkey from bases there, a demand recently voiced by opposition leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek said that adopting new legislation or simply passing new laws would not solve terrorism. “Perhaps passing laws is the easiest part, but it just doesn’t solve the problem,” Çiçek said, speaking on a television program yesterday afternoon. He said the government was open to every suggestion to end terrorism, including setting up a buffer zone along the Iraqi border.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chaired Thursday’s meeting. Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Şahin, Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ, Land Forces Commander Gen. Işık Koşaner, Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Atila Işık, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Hasan Iğsız, National Police Chief Oğuz Kağan Köksal, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Undersecretary Emre Taner and Undersecretary to the Prime Minister Efkan Ala as well as other bureaucrats attended the meeting.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli argued earlier this week that Turkey needs to set up a “security zone” that would include both sides of the Turkish-Iraqi border as a preventative measure to stop the infiltration of PKK terrorists into Turkey.

Meanwhile, reports from the region suggested that those who fear that OHAL might be making a comeback could be right in their concerns.

The Office of General Staff requested 7,000 counterterrorism officers from the police department for the first time in 11 years. The counterterrorism squads of the National Police Department, frequently accused of various human rights violations during the time they were employed in counterterrorism efforts, have not served in the Southeast since the end of OHAL rule in the region. The officers are expected to be on duty in critical locations such as border checkpoints and conduct joint operations with the military against terrorists in rural areas.

Special operations unit sent to eastern Anatolia

Interior Minister Beşir Atalay said prior to a Central Decision and Administration Board (MKYK) meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that they had sent a special operations unit to eastern and southeastern Anatolia for a more effective fight against terrorism. Answering reporters’ questions Atalay said, “We trained about 500 policemen for a special operations unit this year and sent them to the region.”

Following a request by the General Staff, the National Police Department has decided to send 7,000 special operations unit policemen to the eastern and southeastern Anatolian provinces of Hakkari, Şırnak, Van, Mardin, Tunceli, Bingöl and Siirt.

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