Turkish base in Iraq attacked for second time in less than a week

The rockets were fired from the Tel Kaif subdistrict west of Bashiqa, the second source added. 
Turkish and Iraqi militaries execute a joint military exercise in Silopi, Sirnak on the Turkish side of their shared border following the 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum. (Photo: Emrah Oprukcu/NurPhoto)
Turkish and Iraqi militaries execute a joint military exercise in Silopi, Sirnak on the Turkish side of their shared border following the 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum. (Photo: Emrah Oprukcu/NurPhoto)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Rockets were fired at a Turkish military base in northern Iraq again on Sunday evening, a security source told Kurdistan 24. 

Two rockets were fired at the Turkish Zilkan base in Nineveh province’s Bashiqa and landed near the facility, according to a security source speaking to Kurdistan 24 on the condition of anonymity. 

Another security source told Kurdistan 24 that five rockets were fired at the base. Two of them landed on a position belonging to the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces in the area. The source also wished to stay anonymous. 

The rockets were fired from the Tel Kaif subdistrict west of Bashiqa, the second source added. 

On Tuesday, rockets were also fired at Zilkan, the Kurdish Counter-Terrorism Group reported. That incident did not result in any casualties. 

The base has come under increasing attacks since the beginning of the year. In early February, more than 15 rockets were fired at Zilkan shortly after Turkish drone strikes in the Ezidi (Yezidi)-majority town of Sinjar.

Shadowy groups invariably claim responsibility for the attacks and threaten more attacks so long as Turkish troops retain their presence in Iraq. Iran-affiliated Iraqi militias have previously demanded the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Iraq.