ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) politburo on Saturday said it is "deeply concerned" about the latest Turkish bombardment in Sulaimani and Makhmour, targeting members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and called on the federal and regional governments to take action regarding recent developments.
"We are deeply concerned about the security developments and condemn the bombing of Aghjalar sub-district in Chamchamal and Makhmour refugee camp," read a statement published by PUK media following the attacks, referring to the incidents as a breach of sovereignty.
The PUK politburo called on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to summon the Turkish consul in the Region to explain the incident, adding that "there is no excuse for civilians to suffer in terms of lives and property due to crossing the border."
Earlier on Saturday, two suspected Turkish drones targeted a vehicle in the sub-district of Aghjalar in Sulaimani province, killing five passengers including at least two members of the PKK, according to a local official. The PKK is an armed group that is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.
Hours after the Sulaimani strike, a vehicle in PKK-controlled Makhmour camp was bombarded in the area disputed between Erbil and Baghdad. While the force remains unidentified, it is also believed that Turkey was behind the strike, and the camp is the subject of frequent Turkish attacks justified on the grounds of targeting PKK fighters.
In the statement, the PUK also urged the Iraqi government "to fulfill its constitutional and national duty to protect Iraqi territory and airspace, including the Kurdistan Region," and asked Baghdad to inform Ankara about the repeated violations of the country's sovereignty.
Turkey frequently targets PKK positions beyond its southern border with the Kurdistan Region. It recently launched a fresh phase in a series of anti-PKK operations. The operation, dubbed Claw-Lock, is an air and ground assault that heavily focuses on mountainous border areas where the armed group maintains a presence.
Ankara has received widespread criticism from Baghdad, Erbil, and the international community for violating Iraq's sovereignty. Its recent operation has been condemned by Iraqi officials, who labeled it as a "hostile" and a "provocative" violation of Iraqi territorial integrity.
