Turkey Conducts Airstrikes in Northern Iraq Targeting PKK Bases

Turkey’s Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that its forces had conducted airstrikes in northern Iraq, destroying 20 targets associated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The strikes were aimed at PKK bases in Gara, Hakurk, Metina, and Qandil, according to a ministry statement.

The airstrikes followed an attempted bomb attack earlier on Sunday in front of the Turkish Interior Ministry’s building in Ankara, the country’s capital. Two police officers sustained minor injuries. One of the attackers died in the explosion after detonating a suicide bomb, while the other was shot dead by police. The Interior Ministry revealed that one attacker was a known member of the PKK, and investigations are ongoing to determine the other’s identity.

The Turkish military frequently targets PKK strongholds in northern Iraq, particularly in the Qandil Mountains, the group’s main base. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. The group has been engaged in an armed conflict against the Turkish government for over 30 years.