Suspected Turkish drone kills at least one in Shingal

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least one person was killed in Shingal on Thursday after a suspected Turkish drone targeted a pickup vehicle, Kurdish counterterrorism forces and media affiliated to the local forces reported. 

“As a result of a Turkish drone attack against a vehicle of PKK fighters in Shingal, a fighter was killed and two others were injured,” said the Erbil-based counterterrorism forces on Facebook.  

Rojnews, a media outlet affiliated to the PKK, also reported the drone attack, blaming Turkey. It added that one person, Muhsin Shami, was killed and another was injured.  

Luqman Glee, head of Peshmerga forces’ operations in Shingal, told Rudaw that there were two attacks, with one targeting a pickup which led to the death of four PKK fighters who were in the vehicle. However, he said details on the second attack were not clear.

Ankara occasionally carries out such attacks against PKK-affiliated forces in Shingal where several armed forces affiliated with the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are also present.

PKK is an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, which carries out regular military campaigns against the group at home and in northern Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region.