Turkish airstrikes destroyed 24 targets used by PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the country’s defense ministry said.
This information was confirmed in a statement by the Ministry of Defense on Wednesday. Daily Sabah news.
It said the airstrikes targeted terrorist bases, shelters and depots in the Iraqi mountains of Hakurq, Gara, Qandil and near the Turkish border. The PKK uses northern Iraq, near the Turkish border, as a base for planning terrorist attacks and often attacks Turkish and northern Syrian civilians.
PKK has a strong presence in northern Iraq controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), where the central Iraqi government has limited influence.
Turkish operations have almost wiped out PKK’s domestic presence, causing the terrorist group to shift a large portion of its operations to northern Iraq. This includes a stronghold in the Mount Qandil region, located about 40 kilometers southeast of Erbil.
Over the past 25 years, the Turkish government has conducted dozens of military operations against PKK in northern Iraq. Since 2022, airstrikes have been carried out as part of Operation ‘Claw’ to destroy terrorist hideouts and prevent the creation of terrorist corridors.
Turkey’s crossborder operations have been a source of tension for years. Ankara is seeking Iraq’s help in fighting the PKK, and Baghdad designated the group as a banned organization in March.
The PKK—which has been on a nearly 40-year terror campaign—is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The organization is responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women and children.
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