Highlights
Turkish military warplanes carried out series of aerial strikes in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region killing more than three dozen militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
In a statement released on Tuesday 25th August 2015 by the Turkish army, the military warplanes conducted the aerial bombardment on PKK’s training camps in Qandil Mountains killing at least 34 Kurdish militants.
On another operation on Tuesday, Turkish fighter jets conducted the aerial raids against the PKK training bases in province of Dohuk northern Iraq.
Assessment
The Turkish airstrikes targeted areas in two regions on the outskirts of Amdiyah and the Dohuk provincial capital city.
Turkey and US-led coalition has been launching airstrikes against the purported Daesh (Islamic State) targets in Syria as well as PKK positions in Iraq.
The airstrikes by Turkish warplanes came following a Daesh bomb attack on July 20 in the southeastern Turkish town of Suruc that left at least 32 people dead. The military operations have been increased across the border from northern Syrian town of Kobani.
There has been a bad blood between Turkey and the Kurds. The two sides have not been able to reach a common ground. From 2013, Turkish airstrikes against PKK narrowed the chances of the two sides to reach a deal in the future.
In the past two weeks, Turkish soldiers have also been killed in the clashes with PKK militants.
Summary
There has been doubt whether Turkey is committed on the fight against the Daesh. Turkey’s airstrikes intentions stands accused of supporting Daesh and conclusion about Ankara commitment in the fight against the terrorist group has always raised eyebrows.
Turkey, they say, is more inclined to target the PKK, which Ankara regards as its number one enemy.
Turkey’s critics say it has used its role in the U.S.-led coalition against ISIL as a cover to attack Kurdish PKK fighters and stem Kurdish political and territorial ambitions.
The PKK has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s. The conflict has left tens of thousands of people dead.
