Fatal strike in northern Iraq attributed to Turkey claims two ives
Two individuals lost their lives on Tuesday in an incident in northern Iraq, reportedly orchestrated by Turkey, according to statements from security and health authorities.
Turkey has been frequently conducting both ground and air offensives against positions held by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, a group engaged in a protracted insurgency against the Turkish government.
A security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization, disclosed that “Two civilians were killed and another injured in a Turkish strike” targeting a remote village in the mountainous Akre region of Dohuk province.
A health official in the area corroborated the casualty count, noting that two additional individuals sustained injuries. However, clarity on the civilian status of the deceased was not provided.
The Turkish military, known for its reticence regarding operations in Iraq, has not issued any official statement regarding the incident.
Over the past quarter-century, Turkey has established numerous military installations in northern Iraq as part of its ongoing campaign against the PKK.
Just days prior to this incident, Turkey’s defense ministry reported the death of a Turkish soldier and injury of another during what was described as an “attempted intrusion” at a Turkish military base in northern Iraq, a provocation attributed to the PKK.
In recent months, attacks on Turkish military installations in northern Iraq have resulted in significant casualties, with 18 soldiers losing their lives in assaults that occurred in December and January.
Both the Iraqi government in Baghdad and the regional administration of Iraqi Kurdistan have faced criticism for allegedly permitting Turkey’s military operations, a stance seen as safeguarding their robust economic ties.
In October of the previous year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to intensifying strikes against the PKK in Iraq and neighboring Syria, a group classified as “terrorist” by Ankara and its Western allies.
