Turkey initiate new offensive against Kurdish rebels in Iraq

Turkey has launched a new air and ground offensive in opposition to Kurdish opponents in northern Iraq, defense minister Hulusi Akar stated.

Commandos  and  forces, backed through unmanned aerial vehicles and assault helicopters concerned in Operation Claw-Lock, are focused on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) hideouts within the Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan areas of northern Iraq, Akar said on Monday.

He would not say what ratio of  troops were involved  in the operation.

The defense ministry stated the operation, which initiated  Sunday night, got here after it changed into found that the PKK became making plans it on a huge-scale assault against Turkey. The operation’s plan were reported via Turkish media for couple of days.

It changed into launched after two days  a rare visit to  Turkey by means of the high minister of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish place, Masrour Barzani, suggesting that he have been briefed on Ankara’s plans

Barzani said after his meeting  with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he welcomed “expanding cooperation to promote security and stability” in northern of the  Iraq.

The Kurdistan Regional Government has an unhealthy  relationship with the PKK group, whose presence disturb  the region’s lucrative trade ties with Turkey.

Turkey on the same routine carries out attacks in the Kurdish of northern Iraq, where the PKK has their  bases and training camps in Sinjar and on the mountainous border with Turkey. The recent  come on the heels of Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle launched by Turkey in northern region  Iraq in 2020.

However, offensives have strained Ankara’s ties with Iraq’s central government in Baghdad, which accuses Turkey of failing to detained respect the country’s territorial and integrity. Iraq is supposed  to comment on the latest operation.

There was no immediate statement from the PKK.

Nominated as a “terrorist” group by Ankara and its Western merge, the PKK has been conducting  rebellion against the Turkish state since 1984.

Thousands of people have been killed since then.