Turkey Announces Military Operation in Northern Iraq Against the PKK

Turkey announced today, Monday, a military operation in northern Iraq against members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated that targets, shelters, and ammunition depots of Kurdish militants in northern Iraq were bombed, noting that special forces participated in the military operation. Earlier, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that fighter jets, helicopters, and drones targeted Kurdish militant positions in northern Iraq in a combined air and ground operation that aimed at facilities including camps and ammunition depots. This attack is part of an ongoing Turkish campaign in Iraq and Syria against PKK fighters and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), both of which Ankara considers terrorist groups. The ministry's statement indicated that the operation focused on the Metina, Zap, and Avashin-Basyan regions in northern Iraq. The official Anadolu Agency quoted the Turkish defense minister as saying, "Our operation is continuing successfully so far, as planned. The identified targets in the first phase have been arrested." No information was provided about casualties resulting from the operation. The ministry stated that this operation was aimed at "preventing terrorist attacks" and "ensuring the security of our borders" following an assessment that the PKK was planning to carry out a large-scale attack. Additionally, it mentioned that artillery was also used to bombard militant targets during the military operation. Turkey regularly conducts airstrikes in northern Iraq and has deployed commando forces to the region to support its attacks.