Turkish jets hit areas in Kurdistan region

Turkey launched air strikes in northern Iraq the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters, the army said on Tuesday, January 23.

The strikes took place on Monday in the Zap region of Kurdistan Region, not far from Turkey's southeastern border, the Turkish military said in a statement.

The army said it was targeting members of the "separatist terrorist organization" -- Turkey's official term for the PKK.

The PKK fighters were planning an attack on border security posts and bases, the military said, adding that the strikes destroyed weapons emplacements and shelters, AFP reported.

The Turkish air force has regularly carried out raids on PKK rear bases around the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq since 2015 talks between the PKK and Turkey failed.

The strikes in Iraq come four days after Turkey started a military operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Kurdish town of Afrin in northern Syria.

Ankara views the YPG as an offshoot of the PKK and repeatedly calls them "terrorists".

Reporter’s code: 50101

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