Turkey on Sunday called for a meeting of its NATO allies to discuss
threats to its security and its airstrikes targeting Islamic State
militants in Syria and Kurdish rebels in Iraq.
The move came as Turkey's state-run media reported that Turkish F-16 jets again took off from the country's southeastern Diyarbakir air base to hit Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK targets across the border in northern Iraq.
There was no immediate confirmation of the report by TRT television, which came hours after authorities said PKK militants detonated a car-bomb near Diyarbakir, killing two soldiers and wounding four others.
NATO announced that its decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, will convene Tuesday after Ankara invoked the alliance's Article 4, which allows member states to request a meeting if they feel their territorial integrity or security is under threat.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey would inform allies about the airstrikes which followed an IS suicide bombing near Turkey's border with Syria that left 32 people dead, and an IS attack on Turkish forces, which killed a soldier.
Turkey requested the meeting, which includes ambassadors of all 28 member countries, "in view of the seriousness of the situation after the heinous terrorist attacks in recent days," NATO said.
NATO itself is not involved in operations against the Islamic State group, although many of its members are. As an alliance, however, NATO is committed to helping defend Turkey.
Read more: Turkey calls for NATO meeting to discuss security threats - US News
The move came as Turkey's state-run media reported that Turkish F-16 jets again took off from the country's southeastern Diyarbakir air base to hit Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK targets across the border in northern Iraq.
There was no immediate confirmation of the report by TRT television, which came hours after authorities said PKK militants detonated a car-bomb near Diyarbakir, killing two soldiers and wounding four others.
NATO announced that its decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, will convene Tuesday after Ankara invoked the alliance's Article 4, which allows member states to request a meeting if they feel their territorial integrity or security is under threat.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey would inform allies about the airstrikes which followed an IS suicide bombing near Turkey's border with Syria that left 32 people dead, and an IS attack on Turkish forces, which killed a soldier.
Turkey requested the meeting, which includes ambassadors of all 28 member countries, "in view of the seriousness of the situation after the heinous terrorist attacks in recent days," NATO said.
NATO itself is not involved in operations against the Islamic State group, although many of its members are. As an alliance, however, NATO is committed to helping defend Turkey.
Read more: Turkey calls for NATO meeting to discuss security threats - US News
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