Turkish deputy premier says they launched judicial inquiry into incident on Iraqi border

ANKARA (A.A) - Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said on Tuesday that they launched administrative and judicial inquiry into the incident on Iraqi border that killed 35 people. Atalay said all question marks about the incident would be cleared up. On December 28, 35 citizens were killed in a bombing by the jets of Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in Sinat-Haftanin region in the north of Iraq which was near Uludere town of Turkey's southeastern province of Sirnak on suspicion that they were terrorists, but later it was found out that they were in the north of Iraq for trafficking, he said. "We are deeply sad over the incident and I would like to offer condolences to relatives of those who were killed," he said. Atalay said after terrorist attacks that escalated at the beginning of July, a comprehensive cross-border operation was launched as of August 17 and these operations were under way. "During this period, no civilians were harmed. When the government was continuing its fight against terrorism, it was also protecting its citizens," he added.