ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Suspected Turkish warplanes struck the surroundings of Galala village, Mawat town, in Sulaimani province on Thursday, reportedly killing three members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), including a military officer, according to the Kurdistan counterterrorism.
The Kurdistan Counterterrorism (CTD) announced that in the Turkish drone attack, “two vehicles and a hideout” belonging to PKK fighters were targeted, “killing a military official and two fighters.”
The CTD added another two "fighters are missing" as a result of the drone strikes.
Kamaran Osman, a member of the Community Peacemaker Team (CPT), said in a Facebook post that “due to snowfall and rugged roads, villagers have not been able to reach the targeted spot to learn of the safety of local residents.”
CPT is a human rights watchdog monitoring Turkey's operations in the Kurdistan Region.
Turkey frequently launches attacks in the Kurdistan Region under the pretext of targeting alleged positions and personnel of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
On January 27, Turkish drone attacks killed four people in the Raparin administration of the Sulaimani province and two villagers in Dinarte, Duhok province.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Iraq on January 26 and discussed counterterrorism in meetings with Iraqi top officials, stressing that Ankara expects Baghdad to recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization.
The PKK is an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades. The group, designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara, uses mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region as shelter and often engages in direct armed conflict with Turkey.
Turkey carried out over 800 attacks on the Kurdistan Region and northern Iraq in 2024, leading to the death of dozens and the displacement of thousands of civilians, according to the CPT.
Updated at 03:26pm with a statement by the CTD
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