Turkey鈥檚 anti-PKK operation begins in Iraq

Kurdish fighters hold a position in Faysh Khabur, which lies in Iraq鈥檚 Kurdish autonomous region near the three-way border between Iraq, Syria and Turkey in this March 29, 2018 photo. (AFP)
  • Ankara aims to 鈥榥eutralize terrorists and destroy their shelters鈥�

ANKARA: Turkey launched a military operation against the Kurdistan Workers鈥� Party (PKK) in northern Iraq on Monday.

Operation Claw, in the Hakurk region along the Turkish and Iranian borders, was conducted by commandos with air and artillery support.

The aim is to 鈥渘eutralize terrorists and destroy their shelters,鈥� said Turkey鈥檚 Defense Ministry. 

PKK militants mainly enter Turkey through Hakurk, and usually launch offensives during spring and summer.

More than 40,000 people have been killed during the group鈥檚 decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the EU.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi recently visited Ankara and, at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, promised further security cooperation.

Mete Sohtaoglu, an Istanbul-based Middle East expert, told Arab News: 鈥淭his cross-border ground and air operation has support from Baghdad.鈥�

Sohtaoglu said 鈥渢ime will tell鈥� what Tehran鈥檚 reaction is to the Turkish operation. 鈥淎nother aim of the operation is to cut links between the PKK and its Syrian affiliates,鈥� he added.

The PKK鈥檚 jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan recently urged the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to 鈥渃onsider Turkish sensitivities in Syria, with constitutional assurances given within the framework of Syria鈥檚 territorial integrity.鈥� Ankara says the SDF is affiliated with the PKK.

Bilgay Duman, coordinator of Iraq studies at the Ankara-based think-tank ORSAM, said Operation Claw is significant in that it was launched on the same day that Iraqi President Barham Salih was in Turkey for a working visit.

The Iraqi government 鈥渃an鈥檛 become very active against the PKK as it doesn鈥檛 have any administrative efficiency in the northern territories, but it鈥檚 aware of all of Ankara鈥檚 sensitivities and concerns,鈥� he told Arab News.

Duman said he expects Turkey to target specific infrastructure, logistical bases and key PKK figures with Baghdad鈥檚 support.

鈥淭he PKK鈥檚 presence in urban areas (in Iraq) like Sinjar and Mahmour is a serious problem to tackle as well,鈥� he added.