Newsdeck

Turkish air strikes

Two dead, seven injured in Turkish air strikes on PKK sites in Iraq’s north

Two dead, seven injured in Turkish air strikes on PKK sites in Iraq’s north
Iraqi security forces stand guard as Iraqis protest in front of the Turkish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, 13 August 2020. Dozens of Iraqi protesters gathered in front of the Turkish embassy to condemn Turkish airstrikes that killed two Iraqi army officers in northern Iraq. EPA-EFE/MURTAJA LATEEF

Baghdad, June 15 (Reuters) - At least two people were killed and seven injured in Turkish air strikes targeting Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) sites in Iraq's northern province of Sinjar, security sources said on Wednesday.

They said one strike targeted an intelligence headquarters and another hit a council building, causing damage to nearby shops.

Videos on social media showed plumes of thick smoke and fires ablaze while people ran away in the street, though Reuters could not immediately verify the videos.

There has been a long-running Turkish campaign in Iraq and Syria against militants of the PKK and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which are both regarded as terrorist groups by Ankara.

Turkey regularly carries out air strikes into northern Iraq and has sent commandos to support its offensives.

In April, the Turkish foreign ministry summoned the Iraqi charge d’affaires after Baghdad accused Ankara of violating its sovereignty and called on it to withdraw all of its forces from Iraqi territory. 

The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which in the past was mainly focused in southeast Turkey.

(Reporting by Amina Ismail and Jamal Badrany; Writing by Enas Alashray and Lina Najem; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Mark Heinrich)

Gallery

Comments - Please in order to comment.

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Daily Maverick Elections Toolbox

Feeling powerless in politics?

Equip yourself with the tools you need for an informed decision this election. Get the Elections Toolbox with shareable party manifesto guide.