Turkish army has launched large military exercise in Kurdistan region.

The Turkish army has launched Monday, September 25, 2017, large military exercise in the Silopi-Khabour area of the Kurdish province of Sirnak on the border with the Kurdistan Region. Turkish army has deployed main battle tanks and armoured vehicles near the Iraqi border.

Turkish main battle tanks and armoured personnel carrier participate in a military drill near the Turkish-Iraqi border in the Silopi district, Sirnak, Turkey, on Sept. 23, 2017.

According a press release on the Turkish general staff's website, this military exercise was simultaneously performed with an anti-terrorist operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) guerrillas.

On Sept. 18, additional military forces, military construction vehicles and armored vehicles sent from other parts of the country reached the Reyhanlı district in the southern province of Hatay, located on the border with Syria.

Around 100 military vehicles including tanks, towed howitzers, and launching pads were reported to be participating in the drill, according to Doğan News Agency.

This military exercise is a a strong message to the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) before the September 25 Independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan.