Turkey has carried out new airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighboring Iraq, with the defense ministry reporting that 16 militants, including commanders, were killed in the strikes. The airstrikes come after Turkish President Erdogan’s recent visit to Iraq, where he sought increased cooperation from Baghdad in combating the militants. Warplanes struck suspected positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in several regions of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The PKK, banned as a separatist group since the 1980s, has been engaged in an ongoing insurgency against Turkey.
The Turkish defense ministry stated that the latest airstrikes were aimed at “rescuing Turkey from this problem,” following Erdogan’s announcement of a major operation against the PKK this summer with the goal of permanently eradicating the threat it poses. The PKK is fighting for Kurdish autonomy in southeast Turkey and has been labelled a terrorist organization by both Turkey and its Western allies. The conflict between the PKK and Turkish forces has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties since its inception in 1984.
Despite previous allegations from Baghdad that Turkish actions against the PKK in Iraq violate its sovereignty, the Iraqi government appears to be cooperating with Ankara’s latest operations. After a meeting between the Iraqi and Turkish foreign ministers in March, Baghdad announced that the Iraqi National Security Council had banned the PKK, although it did not officially designate the group as a terrorist organization. Turkish authorities have long sought increased cooperation from their Iraqi counterparts in dealing with the PKK threat.
The airstrikes, which targeted PKK positions in regions including Hakurk, Metina, and Gara in Iraq, resulted in the deaths of 16 militants, with some reported to be commanders of the group. The PKK has not yet issued a response to the airstrikes, which come as part of Turkey’s ongoing efforts to combat the group within Iraq’s borders. President Erdogan’s recent visit to Iraq was his first in 12 years and aimed to strengthen ties between Turkey and Baghdad in their joint fight against Kurdish militants.
Turkey’s defense ministry stated that the airstrikes were a necessary part of its efforts to combat the PKK and protect its citizens from the threat posed by the group. The ministry’s actions reflect Ankara’s determination to tackle the PKK insurgency head-on, as it seeks to address the ongoing security concerns in the region. Despite the lack of immediate comment from the PKK regarding the airstrikes, the group’s ongoing activities continue to pose a significant challenge for Turkish authorities in their efforts to maintain stability and security in the region.
