Turkish drone kills three PKK-affiliated fighters in Sinjar: Kurdish anti-terrorism group

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) killed a top commander of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-affiliated group along with two companions in the Yezidi-majority town of Sinjar on Monday afternoon, the Kurdistan Region’s anti-terrorism group confirmed.

The Region’s Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) did not elaborate further on the identities of the deceased in its statement.

“A Turkish drone struck a YBS – Sinjar Resistance Units – vehicle at Khana Sor community in Sinjar, killing a military official and two militants,” according to the press release.

The CTD released two photos of a burning pickup truck, claiming it belonged to the fighters.

Turkey has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Khana Sor is located in northern Sinjar, an area previously targeted by aerial strikes against members of the PKK-affiliated group.

Turkey and PKK have been engaged in a decade-old military confrontation, which has resulted in tens of thousands of causalities from both sides.

Bolstered by its sophisticated drone capabilities, Ankara in recent years has doubled its UAV airstrikes against the Kurdish militant group, particularly in urban centers.

Officials from the Kurdistan Region regularly call on the warring sides to take their conflict outside of the populated border towns, as the long-standing confrontation has displaced hundreds of residents in these rural areas and threatened their livelihood.