Security

Turkish airstrikes kill 13 PKK fighters in Kurdistan Region, says Turkish Defense Ministry

The PKK and Ankara have been engaged in a bloody military conflict since the mid-1980s, reportedly resulting in the deaths of more than 40,000 people.

Kurdistan 24 2023/11/17 18:03

A Turkish drone is on display. (Photo: Anadolu Agency)

Kurdistan Turkish drone strikes PKK

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – 13 PKK fighters were killed during an air raid on PKK bases in the Zap and Khawkurk mountains in the Kurdistan Region, according to a statement released by Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense.

In the meantime, the PKK has reported the deaths of 16 Turkish soldiers in recent attacks in the mountains of Zap, Khawkurk, and Matina.

Both sides are known to frequently inflate or deflate casualty numbers for publicity.

The PKK and Ankara have been engaged in a bloody military conflict since the mid-1980s, reportedly resulting in the deaths of more than 40,000 people, although this figure has been disputed.

Bolstered by its advanced drone industry, Türkiye has ramped up its drone strikes in recent years, particularly in the urban centers of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, to target suspected PKK positions.

Kurdistan Region officials regularly call on Baghdad, officially in charge of border security affairs, to prevent insurgents and foreign militaries from engaging in hostilities within its territory. Officials have voiced concerns about the increasing presence of foreign militia forces in the area.

Much of the conflict has been fought in the border areas of the Kurdistan Region, which has endangered civilian populations.