ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish planes on Saturday bombarded a mountain in northern Duhok province, spreading fear among villagers, but causing no casualties, a local source told Rudaw.
Haval Barkayini is a resident of Balava village. He said Turkey has been bombarding Mount Metina near the village for three days, with the assault intensifying on Saturday when three areas on the mountain were targeted.
No residents of the area were hurt, but Barkayini said villagers were terrified.
Turkey has yet to comment.
Turkish forces frequently carry out military assaults in the Kurdistan Region, targeting suspected Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in the mountains where the group has its headquarters. The PKK is an armed group that for decades has fought for greater Kurdish political and cultural rights in Turkey. Ankara has designated it a terror group.
The PKK called a unilateral ceasefire of operations within Turkey after the February earthquakes and extended it through to May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, when opposition parties are hoping to end two decades of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule.
Media close to the PKK has reported an increase in Turkish military activity in the Kurdistan Region, accusing Ankara of trying to create propaganda ahead of the election.
Baghdad has repeatedly condemned Turkey’s violations of its borders and called on armed groups not to use Iraqi territory to attack neighbouring nations. Civilians are frequently caught in the crossfire between Turkish forces and the PKK and hundreds of villages have been emptied with families moving in search of safety.
In a forum this week in Baghdad, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari said that Iraq was beefing up security on its borders with Turkey and Iran.
Haval Barkayini is a resident of Balava village. He said Turkey has been bombarding Mount Metina near the village for three days, with the assault intensifying on Saturday when three areas on the mountain were targeted.
No residents of the area were hurt, but Barkayini said villagers were terrified.
Turkey has yet to comment.
Turkish forces frequently carry out military assaults in the Kurdistan Region, targeting suspected Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in the mountains where the group has its headquarters. The PKK is an armed group that for decades has fought for greater Kurdish political and cultural rights in Turkey. Ankara has designated it a terror group.
The PKK called a unilateral ceasefire of operations within Turkey after the February earthquakes and extended it through to May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, when opposition parties are hoping to end two decades of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule.
Media close to the PKK has reported an increase in Turkish military activity in the Kurdistan Region, accusing Ankara of trying to create propaganda ahead of the election.
Baghdad has repeatedly condemned Turkey’s violations of its borders and called on armed groups not to use Iraqi territory to attack neighbouring nations. Civilians are frequently caught in the crossfire between Turkish forces and the PKK and hundreds of villages have been emptied with families moving in search of safety.
In a forum this week in Baghdad, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari said that Iraq was beefing up security on its borders with Turkey and Iran.
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