Suspected Turkish airstrikes target mountainous area in Duhok province
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Villagers in the rural areas of Duhok province on Tuesday morning reported that they witnessed suspected Turkish airstrikes, targeting the suspected positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The airstrikes targeted positions in Kafya, Babona, Siranye, and Nephakhe in Duhok’s Akre district, locals confirmed to Kurdistan 24 on the condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
Turkey has conducted several operations against the PKK over the past few years. Operation Claw-Lock succeeds Operations Claw-Lightning and Thunderbolt, launched in 2021, and Operations Claw-Eagle and Tiger in 2020.
As the conflict has recently intensified between both sides, Turkey announced that at least five of its soldiers have been killed over the past few days.
Both sides frequently publish exaggerated figures of each other’s casualties. Kurdistan 24 has not been able to independently verify the figures.
In addition to military operations, Turkey targets the alleged members of the militant group inside the Region’s urban centers with drone strikes.
Kurdistan Region officials regularly call on both Ankara and the PKK to take their fights away from the populated areas, as they endanger the safety and livelihoods of the civilian population.
At least 40,000 people have been killed in the Turkish-PKK conflict since it began in 1984.