Turkey begins an air and military attack against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in northern Iraq.
Turkey’s defense minister Hulusi Akar says the country has initiated a fresh air and ground attack against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. Operation Claw-Lock targets PKK strongholds north of Iraq’s Metina, Zap, and Avashin-Basyan districts. The Kurdistan Regional Government is at odds with the PKK, whose presence affects the region’s lucrative commercial connections with Turkey. The operation includes commando units and Turkish special forces. The operation was launched just two days after Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region prime minister, Masrour Barzani met with Turkish president Erdogan. The attack has strained not only Iraq’s central government, but also relations between Kurdish diasporas. During Barzani’s recent trip to London, multiple protest took place, as multiple Kurds see Barzani as a puppet of the Turkish state. Many Local Kurdish people in Northern Iraq view Turkey as an oppressive state, claiming their military offensive are closer to genocide than strategic anti-terror operations.
