US condemns PKK attack on Kurdistan Region Peshmerga forces 'in strongest terms'

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United States condemned "in strongest terms" a deadly attack on Peshmerga forces on Sunday that was carried out by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) the previous day.

“We condemn in strongest terms the deadly PKK attack yesterday against our brave Peshmerga partners,” the US Consulate General in Erbil tweeted on Sunday, extending its condolences to the families of the victims.

We condemn in strongest terms the deadly PKK attack yesterday against our brave Peshmerga partners. Our thoughts are with the families of those killed & wounded. We stand with our friends in the IKR & reaffirm our commitment to working together to bring security to the region. pic.twitter.com/ODRrLGuPZ6

— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USConGenErbil) June 6, 2021

On Saturday, a convoy of Peshmerga forces heading toward villages along the Turkish border near Mount Matina came under attack by the PKK, causing the death of five and wounding seven others.

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In the hours that followed, the PKK claimed responsibility for the incident. 

The US Consulate's statement of condemnation continued, “We stand with our friends in the IKR [Iraqi Kurdistan Region] & reaffirm our commitment to working together to bring security to the region.” 

The PKK, headquartered in the Kurdistan Region's Zagros Mountains, has been fighting a decades-long conflict against Ankara over Kurdish rights in Turkey that has led to tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. Rural residents and the local environment continue to suffer from ongoing clashes, including multiple civilian fatalities and other casualties. 

Although the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly asked the PKK and the Turkish government to take their fight elsewhere, tensions between the KRG and the PKK have reached new levels in recent months.

Editing by John J. Catherine