Image Credits: Daily Sabah
On Friday, Turkey’s Defense Ministry announced that its airstrikes had successfully eliminated 12 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria. The strikes targeted the Haftanin region in Iraq, where four terrorists were neutralized, and the Tell Rifaat region in Syria, where eight others were taken out. The ministry emphasized that neither northern Iraq nor northern Syria remains a haven for terrorists.
This recent operation is part of Turkey’s intensified cross-border actions against the PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG. Since the beginning of 2024, Turkey has eliminated a total of 1,588 terrorists, demonstrating a significant escalation in its counterterrorism efforts. The PKK, which has been involved in a long-standing insurgency in Turkey, is notorious for using northern Iraq as a base for planning and launching attacks. Despite its designation as a terrorist organization by Turkey and other countries, the PKK is not classified as such in Iraq but is prohibited from attacking Turkey from Iraqi territory.
The PKK’s presence has been largely driven to northern Iraq due to successful Turkish operations within Turkey itself. This region, particularly the Qandil Mountains, has become a stronghold for the PKK. Additionally, the PKK maintains a foothold in Sinjar, Makhmour, and Sulaymaniyah, areas within northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, where central Iraqi government control is limited.
In Syria, the PKK/YPG has controlled oil-rich regions in the northeastern provinces since 2015, receiving support from the U.S. in the fight against Daesh. Türkiye has hinted at a major summer offensive aimed at dismantling the PKK’s operations in both Iraq and Syria. Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has announced that the ongoing Operation Claw-Lock, which began in April 2022, seeks to cut off the links between Syria and the Qandil Mountains before the onset of winter.
Reports suggest that Turkish forces are advancing along a key route linking Iraq to Syria and have been conducting operations in recent months. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to eradicating the PKK, asserting that despite the group’s desperation, their end is imminent. He emphasized that Turkey’s counterterrorism efforts are resolute and far from over.