Preparations for the major plan to eliminate the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq are almost complete, confirmed Turkish sources.
The plan will be discussed during a visit to Baghdad by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on April 22.
The sources said Ankara has completed the steps it will take to eliminate the PKK from border regions leading to al-Sulaymaniyah. The plan aims to clear Iraqi border regions that fall within Türkiye's Operation Claw of PKK forces. The are stretches 378 kms and runs 40 kms deep into Iraq.
Türkiye has carried out a similar operation into northern Syria to rid the area of Kurdish forces.
The Baghdad and Erbil governments are expected to provide Türkiye with intelligence support and to take measures against the PKK in al-Sulaymaniyah and Sinjar.
An official at the Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed last month that an agreement had been reached with Iraqi officials over the establishment of a 40-km deep safe zone in northern Iraq by summer.
Türkiye's pro-government Hürriyet daily quoted informed sources as saying that Ankara will deploy the Russian S-400 missile system along its border with Iraq as part of the plan and in coordination with Baghdad and Erbil.
A ground offensive will be launched to counter PKK drone attacks, added the daily.
The S-400 system was at the heart of a dispute between Türkiye, the United States and NATO.
The US argues there is a risk that sensitive technological information could be leaked if it is used alongside Western equipment such as the F-35 jet.
Washington slapped sanctions on Akara for the acquisition of the Russian system and has prevented it from also acquiring the F-35 jets.
Hürriyet said Syrian armed factions that are loyal to Ankara will support the Turkish forces in their operation against the PKK.
