Three PKK members killed by Turkish strike in northern Iraq

Authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq announced on Friday the killing of three members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a drone strike carried out by the Turkish army.

The region, which enjoys autonomous rule and borders Turkey, has witnessed intense drone strikes on PKK targets since Sunday, attributed by regional authorities to Ankara.

The Turkish military rarely comments on its strikes in Iraq, but it regularly conducts ground and aerial military operations against Kurdish fighters in the neighboring country.

Turkey and its Western allies classify the PKK as a "terrorist" organization.

The Counter-Terrorism Department in Iraqi Kurdistan stated in a Friday statement that a drone belonging to the Turkish army targeted a vehicle carrying PKK fighters near the Nalpariz area in the district of Penjwen, in the Sulaymaniyah province, along the road leading to the border with Iran.

The statement added that the strike resulted in "the killing of a senior official in the PKK, a fighter, and the driver of the vehicle."

This toll was confirmed to AFP by Hemn Ibrahim, the mayor of the Nalpariz district.

This marks the fourth attack in Iraqi Kurdistan targeting PKK activists since Sunday, resulting in the deaths of six individuals in total.

Ankara has established dozens of military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan over the past 25 years to combat the PKK, which also has rear bases within the region.

On Thursday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the killing of six Turkish soldiers during clashes with the PKK in northern Iraq.

For a long time, both Baghdad and Erbil have been accused of turning a blind eye to Turkish airstrikes in order to maintain a strategic alliance with Ankara, their main trading partner. 

Nonetheless, Iraqi official statements are regularly issued to condemn violations of Iraqi sovereignty and the impact of such actions on civilians.

The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had announced on July 25th that a "forthcoming visit" by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iraq is expected, but the exact date has not been disclosed as of yet.



AFP