Turkey destroys 80 PKK sites in Iraq and Syria, Defence Ministry says

Shafaq News/ The Turkish Ministry of Defence issued details about the "Winter Eagle" Operation in Iraq and Syria against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

"Around 60 aircraft were involved in the operation, including warplanes and armed and unarmed drones," the Ministry said in a statement.

"Our warplanes targeted sites in Qarajiq, at a depth of 165 km, Sinjar, at a depth of 85 km in northern Iraq, and Derik, at a depth of 9 km in northern Syria."

Turkey's Defense Ministry added, "utmost sensitivity was shown" regarding the security of the civilians during the operations. It said Turkey would "continue the fight against terrorism for the security of our country and our nation with determination until the last terrorist is neutralized."

Today, Turkish warplanes and drones have attacked Kurdish militant training camps, shelters, and ammunition storage areas in northern areas of Iraq and Syria, Turkey's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Turkish forces struck PKK positions in three areas as part of the "Winter Eagle" Operation in Iraq and Syria.

Speaking at the General Assembly of the Young Businessmen Confederation of Turkey, Erdogan stressed, "When I said that we would enter the hideouts of terrorists in Gabar, Gudi, Tendurik and Bestelar Dilarar (regions in northern Iraq, eastern and northeastern Turkey), some mocked. Now we have entered their nests."

He added, "Last night, we bombed targets in three different locations, and they could not even find a hole to escape to."

Iraq's Defense Ministry condemned what it called a Turkish infiltration into Iraqi air space as a violation of its sovereignty.

The PKK has led an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984, killing tens of thousands of people. Turkey and its allies consider the group a terror organization, including the United States and the European Union.