Turkish airstrikes intensify on PKK positions in northern Iraq

Shafaq News/ A security source reported, on Monday, that Turkish warplanes carried out intense airstrikes targeting Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) positions in the Matin Mountain range overlooking Al-Amadiyah district in northern Duhok.

The strikes also hit areas near the villages of Balafa and Koherzi in the Neheli region, though details on casualties remain unclear.

The area has been subjected to daily air and artillery strikes by Turkish forces for over two months, as Turkiye aims to seize strategic positions in the Matin Mountain. Meanwhile, PKK militants, entrenched in the mountain's caves and tunnels, continue to launch sporadic attacks on Turkish forces.

Observers express concern over the escalating tensions, as the ongoing military operations exacerbate the plight of local residents and complicate the humanitarian situation.

The conflict between Turkiye and the PKK dates back to the early 1980s when the PKK started advocating for an independent Kurdish state within Turkiye.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the conflict intensified, with the PKK engaging in guerrilla warfare and the Turkish military conducting large-scale operations against PKK bases, particularly in southeastern Turkiye and northern Iraq.