The strikes hit targets such as caves and bunkers, and ‘many’ militants were ‘neutralised’, Turkey’s defence ministry says.
Turkey carried out air strikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighbouring Iraq and Syria on Saturday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. This comes a day after an attack on a Turkish military base in Iraq killed nine Turkish soldiers.
Turkey often launches strikes against targets in Syria and Iraq it believes to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a banned Kurdish separatist group that has waged insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s.
The defence ministry said aircraft struck targets in Metina, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil in north Iraq, but did not specify areas in Syria. It said fighter jets destroyed caves, bunkers, shelters and oil facilities “to eliminate terrorist attacks against our people and security forces … and to ensure our border security.” The statement added “many” militants were “neutralised” in the strikes.
On Friday night, attackers attempted to infiltrate a military base in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, killing five soldiers. Four others died later of critical injuries. The Turkish defence ministry said 15 militants were also killed.
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There was no immediate comment from the PKK, the government in Baghdad or the Kurdish region’s administration.
