At least nine PKK militants killed in series of Turkish airstrikes, says Kurdish CT

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A series of Turkish airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region killed at least nine Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants, according to the Kurdish counter-terrorism group. 

A combination of drone and fighter jet strikes hit PKK positions in northern Erbil province on Wednesday night, resulting in nine deaths among the Kurdish militant group, according to the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) of the Kurdistan Region Security Council.

The Turkish air forces also bombarded the militants' positions in Duhok province, where they killed a fighter and wounded three others, according to the anti-terror group that regularly provides the public with updates on security incidents across the Kurdistan Region. 

The strike is the latest of its kind against the Kurdish militant group by Turkey. Recently, the NATO member had struck numerous vehicles and targets inside the Kurdistan Region, which had resulted in numerous causalities.

Ankara has intensified attacks against the group in both Iraq and Syria after two PKK militants attacked a Turkish internal security organization on October 3.

In northeastern Syria, the strikes had focused on energy and power infrastructure in a bid to weaken the ruling Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers as the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

In addition to drone strikes, which have witnessed an increase due to the country’s advanced drone-making industry, Ankara has launched a number of ground operations against militants in the Kurdistan Region’s mountainous areas since 2021.

Having been engaged in an armed conflict since the mid-1980s, tens of thousands have been killed from both sides.