Turkish helicopters attack PKK “strategic" positions north of Kurdistan’s Duhok: Source
Shafaq News/ Turkish helicoptergunships attacked “strategic positions” of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) northof Duhok, Kurdistan Region, a security source in the province reported onFriday.
The source told Shafaq News, "Twohelicopters struck strategic PKK positions in the Matin Mountain range,overlooking the Al-Amadiya district, last night."
“The attack targeted mountain peaksnear the villages of Koherzi and Blafa,” he added. “The extent of casualtiesand material damage has not yet been determined.”
On Thursday, the Turkish Ministry ofDefense announced that “the Turkish Armed Forces had killed 48 PKK membersduring operations in Iraq and Syria last week,” noting that “the number of PKKmilitants killed since the beginning of 2024 has risen to 2,505.”
About PKK
The conflict between Turkiye and thePKK dates back to the early 1980s when the PKK, founded by Abdullah Öcalan,began advocating for an independent Kurdish state within Turkiye. Throughoutthe 1980s and 1990s, the conflict intensified, with the PKK engaging inguerrilla warfare and the Turkish military conducting large-scale operationsagainst PKK bases, particularly in southeastern Turkiye and northern Iraq.
The early 2000s saw intermittentceasefires and attempts at peace negotiations, including a notable peaceprocess in 2013. However, this process collapsed in 2015, leading to renewedhostilities.
Since the start of summer 2024, theTurkish military has intensified operations in the region, targeting PKKpositions and fortifications in the Matin Mountain range with warplanes anddrones. In response, PKK fighters have stayed entrenched in caves and mountainshelters, hindering the success of Turkish operations.
