Key Takeaways
- The Turkish air force destroyed 32 PKK targets in Syria and Iraq, reports say.
- The armed conflict between the PKK and Turkey began in 1984 and reignited in 2015.
- The Kurdistan Workers’ Party seeks the creation of an independent Kurdish state, including on Turkish territory.
Istanbul: The Turkish air force destroyed at least 32 “terrorist” targets of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Syria and Iraq on Wednesday, the TRT Haber broadcaster reported, citing the Turkish Defense Ministry.
On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that four people had been killed in an attack on state-run aerospace company TUSAS. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said hours later that the death toll had been revised up to five, with 22 others reported injured. Turkish authorities reportedly believe that the terrorist attack was most likely carried out by PKK members.
The report noted that as a result of the strikes, a large number of PKK militants were eliminated.
The armed conflict between the PKK and Turkey began in 1984 and reignited in 2015. The organization, which seeks the creation of an independent Kurdish state, including on Turkish territory, has established bases in northern Syria and Iraq, where the Turkish military has been targeting them with land and air strikes.
