Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will step up military operations targeting the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, across northern Iraq and Syria. He said the campaign will continue as part of Turkey's counterterrorism strategy and described the group as a security threat to the country.

Erdogan also said Turkey is working closely with NATO partners on security and intelligence coordination. His comments signal a broader push to sustain pressure on PKK positions beyond Turkey's borders, where Turkish forces have carried out repeated strikes and ground operations for years.

The PKK has been in conflict with the Turkish state since the 1980s, and the violence has killed tens of thousands of people. Cross-border operations in Iraq and Syria have long drawn criticism from rights groups and regional observers who warn that civilians in border areas face displacement and disruption.

The latest remarks come as Ankara continues to frame the PKK as a central national security challenge while balancing relations with allies involved in the same region. Any escalation is likely to affect already fragile areas in northern Iraq and Syria, where local communities have endured years of instability.