Turkish airstrikes have successfully hit 21 PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) targets in northern Iraq, the Turkish Defense Ministry reported on Monday. The strikes focused on PKK hideouts, shelters, caves, and storage facilities across the Metina, Gara, Hakurk, and Qandil regions, close to the Turkish border.
Using domestically produced munitions, the Turkish military reportedly neutralized several PKK militants, although exact figures were not provided. The ministry stressed that all necessary precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties, and damage to cultural heritage sites and the environment was minimized.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey, responsible for over 40,000 deaths, including civilians. Once primarily active in southeastern Turkey, the PKK has since shifted its operations to the mountainous regions of northern Iraq, where it maintains its headquarters in Qandil.
Turkey has launched several cross-border operations against the PKK, including the ongoing Operation Claw-Lock, which began in April 2022. The goal is to cut the PKK’s connections between Syria and its bases in Iraq and establish a 40-kilometer security zone along the border. Defense Minister Yaşar Güler recently stated that the operation aims to be completed before winter.
Ankara’s military actions in northern Iraq have strained relations with Baghdad, which condemns the operations as violations of Iraqi sovereignty. Turkey, however, insists they are essential for its national security. Despite these tensions, Iraq outlawed the PKK in March 2024 and agreed to military cooperation with Turkey, including joint efforts to combat the group.
The PKK also receives support from factions in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)-controlled areas of Iraq, adding complexity to efforts to eliminate the group. In Syria, the PKK’s affiliate, the YPG, has received U.S. backing in the fight against ISIS, further complicating the geopolitical dynamics in the region.
