Turkey strikes suspected PKK positions in Syria, Iraq after Ankara attack

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey late Wednesday said it launched strikes against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in the Kurdistan Region and Syria after blaming them for an attack that killed five people at a defense company in Ankara. 

“An air operation was carried out against terrorist targets in the north of Iraq and Syria,” the defense ministry said in a statement, hours after Ankara alluded that the PKK was responsible for an attack that killed five people and injured 22 others.

On Wednesday, Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAS) facilities in Ankara’s northern Kahramankazan district were attacked. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya later said two attackers had been “neutralized” in the “terror attack” and that it was "most probably” carried out by the PKK. He added that investigations are underway to determine the perpetrators of the attack. 

Defense Minister Yasar Guler also pointed the finger at the “dishonorable PKK.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey quickly retaliated and struck alleged PKK positions in the Kurdistan Region and Syria. It claimed that 32 “targets belonging to terrorists were neutralized” and that measures were undertaken to ensure civilians and the environment were not harmed. Turkey uses the term “neutralize” to denote adversaries captured, wounded, or killed. 

Media outlets in Kurdish-controlled northeast Syria (Rojava) reported strikes on the cities of Qamishli, Derik (al-Malikiyah), Kobane, Tal Rifaat, and Manbij.  

But a local media outlet close to Rojava’s ruling pro-Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) reported that at least four civilians were killed, including a five-year-old child, and 15 people injured in Ankara’s bombardment, despite its claims of ensuring the safety of civilians. 

“The intense shelling led to the martyrdom of four citizens and the injury of ten others in the city of Tal Rifaat.” Hawar News Agency (ANHA) said, adding that three members of the internal security forces (Asayish) were injured in Kobane and civilians were injured in Qamishli and Derik. 

Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), condemned the attacks as a “war crime” and lamented Ankara repeatedly ignoring calls for dialogue.

“Turkey indiscriminately and unjustifiably bombards our areas, targeting civilians, service, and health centers. This is a war crime,” Abdi said on X. “We have repeatedly shown our readiness for dialogue. Meanwhile, we affirm that our forces are ready to defend our people and land.”

In a statement on Thursday, the SDF said that 12 civilians were killed, including two children, and 25 others injured in the attacks. 

It accused Ankara of "attempting to export its internal crises at the expense of our people, spread chaos, and push the region towards more tensions."

PKK-affiliated Rojnews reported that Ankara carried out strikes in the vicinity of the Asos Mountains in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani province.

Turkey has carried out several air and ground operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region and the PYD’s armed wing of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Rojava, which comprises the backbone of the US-backed SDF. 

Turkey alleges the groups are the Syrian front for the PKK.