Turkey launches airstrikes on 71 targets in Iraq, Syria in retaliation for soldiers’ deaths

Turkey has conducted a series of airstrikes hitting 71 sites allegedly linked to Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq. Defence Minister Yasar Guler stated that at least 59 Kurdish fighters were “neutralized” in the attacks, using the term to denote individuals affiliated with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The conflict escalated after twelve Turkish soldiers lost their lives during clashes with PKK forces in northern Iraq, prompting a swift and intense response from the Turkish military. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to avenge the fallen soldiers, emphasizing that the operations would persist.

The recent hostilities were sparked when PKK-affiliated fighters attempted to infiltrate a Turkish base in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, resulting in six Turkish soldiers being killed. Subsequent clashes claimed six more Turkish soldiers, further escalating tensions in the region.

While Turkey asserts its commitment to minimizing civilian casualties and avoiding harm to cultural heritage, a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces reported at least eight civilian casualties in the northeast Syrian air raids on Monday.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, the European Union, and the United States, has led a decades-long rebellion against the Turkish state, resulting in over 40,000 casualties since the conflict began in 1984. Despite shared opposition to the PKK, differences persist between Turkey and the US regarding the status of Syrian Kurdish groups allied with Washington in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIL) in Syria. Turkey considers the PKK a national security threat and maintains a military presence in northern Syria and Iraq to counter alleged PKK and affiliated group activities along its border.