Turkey Strikes Kurdish Militants in Iraq
Recent airstrikes conducted by Turkey targeted Kurdish militants in Iraq, as reported by the Turkish defense ministry on Monday. Warplanes were deployed to strike suspected positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in several regions of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish area, including Hakurk, Metina, and Gara.
The airstrikes resulted in the deaths of 16 militants, including some commanders, according to the ministry. The PKK, a banned separatist group known for its insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s, has not yet issued a statement in response.
The Turkish defense ministry emphasized its commitment to resolving the ongoing conflict with the PKK and mentioned its determination to “rescue Turkey from this problem.” This latest round of airstrikes follows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to Iraq, where he sought greater support from Baghdad in combating militant threats.
Erdogan had previously announced plans for a major military operation against the PKK this summer with the goal of eliminating the threat permanently. The PKK, classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, advocates for Kurdish autonomy in southeastern Turkey and has been the root of a prolonged conflict that has claimed many lives since its inception in 1984.
While Baghdad has previously accused Turkey of violating Iraqi sovereignty through actions against the PKK on its territory, it appears to be accepting Ankara’s current operations. In March, following discussions between the Iraqi and Turkish foreign ministers, Baghdad declared a ban on the PKK by the Iraqi National Security Council, though it refrained from formally designating the group as a terrorist organization.