Turkey Strikes 70 Kurdish Targets Across Syria and Iraq in Response to the Killing of Its Soldiers

Turkey conducted airstrikes targeting over 70 locations linked to Kurdish factions in Syria and northern Iraq this week. This action was in response to the recent deaths of 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq, as announced by the defense minister on Wednesday.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler, in a video message to senior military officials, which was shared on the platform X (previously known as Twitter), stated that at least 59 Kurdish fighters were killed in these airstrikes and in subsequent ground battles. Guler emphasized Turkey’s unwavering resolve in these operations, stating, “Our pain is great, but our determination is complete. We avenged the deaths of our precious children and will continue to do so.”

As of now, there has been no confirmation from Kurdish groups regarding these incidents, and the reported 59 casualties have not been independently verified.

The conflict escalated last Friday when militants associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – a group banned in Turkey – allegedly tried to enter a Turkish military base in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Turkish officials reported that this attack resulted in the deaths of six Turkish soldiers. The next day, six additional Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with Kurdish militants.

Turkey’s military response targeted sites believed to be associated with the PKK in both Iraq and Syria.

According to a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the airstrikes in northeast Syria on Monday resulted in at least eight civilian deaths. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, reported 12 injuries.

Turkey maintains that it exercises extreme caution to avoid civilian casualties and damage to cultural sites.

The PKK, with bases in northern Iraq, has been engaged in a long-standing conflict with Turkey since 1984, leading to tens of thousands of deaths. The PKK is labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, including the U.S. However, there is a difference in opinion between Turkey and the U.S. regarding the status of Syrian Kurdish groups, which have been U.S. allies in combating the Islamic State group in Syria.