Ankara seeks answers from Baghdad after a Turkish drone shot down over Kirkuk

Shafaq News/ A Turkish drone was reportedly shot down by Iraqi air defenses over the northern city of Kirkuk on Thursday, security sources reported on Thursday.

The drone fell in the center of the city, causing a fire near some houses but no casualties.

Iraqi military sources confirmed the incident, stating that the downed drone was Turkish. However, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli did not explicitly confirm the drone's origin, only saying that "coordination" had been established with Iraqi authorities to investigate the incident.

Keceli added that Turkiye will continue to fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group, which is based in the border areas of Iraq's Kurdistan.

The PKK launched an insurgency against Ankara in 1984 with the initial aim of creating an independent Kurdish state. It subsequently adjusted its goals to seek autonomy in southeast Turkiye.

The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.