Turkey regularly targets PKK armed groups, both in its mainly Kurdish southeast and in northern Iraq, where the group is based [File: Umit Bektas/Reuters]
Turkey’s Ministry of Defence says its warplanes have struck Kurdish targets in northern Iraq’s Haftanin region on Wednesday, the second such operation launched against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in recent days.
“Our heroic commandos are in Haftanin,” the ministry said on Twitter, dubbing the new operation “Claw-Tiger”.
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“In order to neutralise the PKK and other terrorist elements threatening our people and our borders, our Air Force, along with fire-support equipment, helicopters and our commandos, supported by armed and unarmed drones, have mobilised to the region with air operations,” the ministry said.
Wednesday’s attack came just days after Turkey said an operation it called “Claw-Eagle” had been launched against PKK targets in various regions of northern Iraq.
Turkey regularly targets PKK armed groups, both in its mainly Kurdish southeast and in northern Iraq, where the group is based. The two latest air attacks come amid what Ankara says is an increase in attacks on Turkish army bases.
Turkey has also warned in recent years of a potential ground offensive targeting PKK bases in the Qandil mountains.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 with the goal of creating an independent Kurdish nation.
More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict, focused in southeast Turkey.
SOURCE:
Reuters news agency
