Turkish airstrikes burn orchards, farms of villagers in Kurdistan Region
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Farms and orchards went up in flames today as Turkish jets struck apparent Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in the Kurdistan Region’s border area.
“Turkish warplanes flew over the areas at 9:35 am and bombarded the villages of Qirnata and Pshtashan, as well as Bermta mountain,” Nahro Abdullah, administrator of Sangasar sub-district in the Sulaimani province, told Rudaw.
The jets also hit the villages of Sarda, Bermta, Sargali, Qalatukan and Gali Badran about an hour later. There were no casualties in the towns in the northeast Kurdistan Region near the Turkish border, according to Abdullah.
The Turkish defence ministry confirmed its airstrikes targeted alleged PKK positions in the Kurdistan Region.
“In coordination with Operation Claw, the PKK terrorists’ weapon caches and shelters were targeted through airstrikes in northern Iraq’s Zap, Gara, Qandil and Asos regions,” read a statement from the ministry.
The airstrikes are part of Turkey’s Operation Claw against PKK fighters in the Kurdistan Region’s border area with Turkey. Turkey launched the second phase of the operation on July 12, and it includes operations in the Khakurk area where the villages hit Friday are.
Thursday marked the 35th anniversary of the first conflict between the PKK and Turkish Army. Over 40,000 people from both sides and civilians have died since 1984.
The PKK conducted a number of operations inside Turkey on Thursday in memory of the decades-long clashes, claiming the death of 10 Turkish soldiers, according to the PKK-affiliated ANF news outlet. Turkey has not confirmed the casualties.
The PKK also confirmed that Turkey struck targets in the Khakurk and Zap areas.
Turkey claims to have “neutralized” hundreds of PKK fighters in its fresh operations since starting Operation Claw in late May, but the PKK denies this.
Turkey uses the term “neutralized” to denote captured, wounded, or killed.
Call for peace
Imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan said Turkey’s operations will not bring about peace.
“The operation means war. This issue is not one that could be resolved through bloodshed,” ANF reported Ocalan as saying.
The PKK founder met with his brother Mehmet Ocalan on Monday. In detention for more than 20 years, Ocalan has rarely been allowed to see lawyers or family members. This is his third meeting with Mehmet since 2016.
Ocalan transmitted his comments on issues in the region through his brother. He called for peace in relation to the Turkey-PKK conflict.
Regarding Turkish operation in Kurdistan Region, the PKK leader said that this will not resolve issues, calling for peaceful means.
“We are always there for peace. We will always stand against war,” Ocalan reportedly told ANF through his brother. “There must be peace against war.”